Greece and Croatia sign Cooperation Pact

[Ellinas]

Greece and Croatia on Monday signed a Friendship, Good Neighborhood and Cooperation Pact, with prime minister Costas Karamanlis signing on behalf of Greece and visiting Croat premier Ivo Sanader signing on behalf of Croatia.

In statements to the press afterwards, the two prime ministers stressed the excellent bilateral relations between their countries, noting also the margins that existed for further strengthening of relations in the commercial, economic and tourism sectors.

Karamanlis reiterated Greece's support for Croatia's full EU membership, while Sanader expressed warm appreciation for the support.

To a press question on Kosovo, Karamanlis opined that there was still time for negotiations so that a solution could be found that would contribute to stability in the region.

Sanader, in turn, supported Thessaloniki becoming a regional centre of development for the region, while the two premiers endorsed the two countries' steadfast determination to proceed in the developing institutional and operational strengthening of the Southeastern Europe cooperation process.

Earlier, Sanader was received by President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias at the Presidential Mansion.

Welcoming the Croat prime minister, President Papoulias said that the multifaceted growth of bilateral relations was continuing, and characterized the fact as "very pleasing".

The meeting was also attended by Deputy Foreign Minister Yannis Valinakis while the Croat prime minister was accompanied by a high-level delegation made up of the ministers of finance, culture and employment and other officials.


(ANA-MPA/S. Pantzartzi)