TOKYO, Dec 17 (Hina) - Croatia expects next year to sign an agreement on trade and cooperation with the European Union, to be admitted into the NATO-led programme Partnership for Peace and in 1998, to sign an agreement on associate
membership into the EU, Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic told Monday's news conference in Tokyo. Granic is on a four-day visit to Japan.
TOKYO, Dec 17 (Hina) - Croatia expects next year to sign an
agreement on trade and cooperation with the European Union, to be
admitted into the NATO-led programme Partnership for Peace and in
1998, to sign an agreement on associate membership into the EU,
Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic told Monday's news conference
in Tokyo.
Granic is on a four-day visit to Japan. #L#
Besides the expected tempo of Croatia's access into Euro-
Atlantic integrations, Granic spoke at the conference about other
priorities of Croatian foreign politics, such as the continuing
support to the peace process in Bosnia-Herzegovina, full
normalization of relations with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia,
the development of good relations with the most important non-
European countries such as the United States, Japan and others.
Granic also spoke about the economic situation in Croatia, the
accomplish stability which guarantees security for foreign
investments and the legal system which is in compliance with
European norms.
Speaking about talks with his Japanese hosts in Tokyo, Granic
stressed that good political relations between the two countries
had been confirmed, adding that the talks had mostly focused on
ways to expand the economic cooperation.
Asked to comment on the recent developments in the
neighbouring FRY, Granic said that Croatia wanted to see Serbia,
being a neighbour, as a modern and democratic country, adding that
it was very important for Croatia that "Serbia continues to support
the peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danubian area.
(hina) lm jn
171312 MET dec 96