CROATIA TO BE ADMITTED TO COUNCIL OF EUROPE NEXT YEAR

ZAGREB, July 4 (Hina) - The Republic of Croatia can expect full membership in the Council of Europe in the first half of next year. "I have said very clearly that we in Strasbourg believe that the situation is developing in the way that the Republic of Croatia can be admitted to the Council of Europe in reasonable time, i.e. during my presidential mandate that expires in 1995," said Miguel Angel Martinez, the chairman of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, after his talks with Croatian Foreign Minister, Dr. Mate Granic in Zagreb on Monday afternoon. Martinez also said that the aim of his visit to Croatia was to find ways for accelerating the process of Croatia's entrance to not only the Council of Europe but also to other European processes of development. The other goal of his visit to Zagreb was to exchange views with leadership of the Republic of Croatia. Croatian Foreign Minister Granic said that their talks had concentrated on the admittance of Croatia to the Council of Europe, as well as on the current situation in the region. Minister Granic expressed hopes that Croatia might be admitted to the Council of Europe in the first half of next year. "This is very important to us, because the Council of Europe is a first, significant step in including Croatia in other integrational processes," stressed Minister Granic. The chairman of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly met the chairman of the Croatian Parliament, Dr. Nedjeljko Mihanovic, in Zagreb this afternoon. 041900 MET jul 94