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Italy Hopes Croatia can Join Council of Europe
"Italy will support the initiatives of Croatia towards greater closeness and cohesion with the European Union," Dini said after talks with his Croatian counterpart Mate Granic. "We hope they can be part of the Council of Europe from the autumn," he told reporters.
In May, the EU shelved Croatia's application to join the Council of Europe, antechamber to the 15-member EU, over human rights and free-press abuses and its role in the divided Bosnian city of Mostar. Dini did not say why Croatia could now qualify. The EU, which has administered Mostar since 1994, said on Friday it may end its presence there and reconsider its stance towards Croats unless they lift a boycott of a newly-elected city council by August 4.
The row flared when local separatist Croats loyal to Croatian President Franjo Tudjman rejected the results of EU-sponsored municipal elections a month ago, won by the Muslim-dominated Party of Democratic Action (SDA). They cited voting irregularities but an EU ombudsman said the outcome would not have been affected and declared the result, which handed Muslims a 21-17 seat majority, final.
"Minister Granic said there is a good possibility of reaching an accord on the administration of the city," Dini said. "We are near a solution to the question." Neither he nor Granic would comment directly on the August 4 deadline. Granic said Bosnian Croats had filed a claim to Bosnia's accept as final, was expected within a month. He said Mostar would be administered by the EU in the interim. |
ROME, July 29 (Reuters) - Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini said on Monday Italy hoped that Croatia, whose relations with the EU are strained, could join the Council of Europe later this year.
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