Minister Gordan Jandroković received Head of French Senate’s EU Delegation Hubert Haenel

Minister Jandroković said that Croatia is looking forward to the coming French EU Presidency with great enthusiasm, especially since it comes at an important phase of Croatia’s negotiation, in the sense of meeting the remaining membership criteria and conducting the necessary reforms. He pointed out that Croatia is determined to complete the negotiations by end-summer of 2008 and that the announcement about the French Presidency’s intense activities on Croatia’s accession negotiations further solidifies the belief in the realisation of said goal.

Head of French Senate’s EU Delegation Haenel reiterated France’s support for Croatia’s efforts, as well as the confirmation of a close all-level co-operation. He pointed out that France is not only Croatia’s ally, but a major advocator as well – which, when it comes to Croatia, advocates the idea that the EU enlargement is really a reunification, since Croatia geographically, historically and civilisation-wise belongs to Europe.

The two sides confirmed the progress of the bilateral relations, which are developing excellently, and agreed that the EU is offering the best possible framework for a lasting and all-encompassing development of Croatia, and along with NATO membership, the best guarantee of safety and stability for South Eastern Europe as a whole.