ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON RELATIONS WITH CROATIA

ROME, July 6 (Hina) - "I must say that the reception I was given in Zagreb last week, as well as the tone and tenor of the talks I had with my hosts, were extremely encouraging. The atmosphere was very favourable indeed and all the participants in the talks stressed that the future was much more important than the past," Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Martino on Wednesday told a news conference in Rome, answering a question put by a Slobodna Dalmacija reporter. Martino said that all the officials he had met in Zagreb had agreed that "peace and the solving of bilateral problems, big or small, are the prerequisite for harmonious relations and economic development." "Italy is one of Croatia's most important partners. This is a fact that must be taken into consideration. In this respect, yesterday's statement by Croatian Foreign Minister Granic was very positive and encouraging. I am very optimistic about Italy's relations with Croatia," Martino concluded. 061559 MET jul 94