Croatian President To Strengthen Ties With Albania

TIRANA, April 21 – Croatian President Stipe Mesic held a two-day visit to Albania to discuss both countries’ successful NATO membership efforts and other integration issues, as well as regional problems.
Mesic also said, during a news conference with host Albanian President Bamir Topi, that Kosova was a new reality in the Balkans that everybody had to accept.
“Kosovo is a reality in our region and everybody should learn to live with it”, Mesic said. “The only solution for the future of the region is regional cooperation and European integration”.
Croatia, a European Union candidate, was the second former Yugoslav state to recognize Kosova’s independence following Slovenia, which holds the EU presidency.
Zagreb’s move has angered officials in Belgrade. In Albania, Mesic said the region must move on. “We must stop being hostage to the past and its historical myths”, he said. During the visit, Mesic discussed the countries’ joint efforts toward achieving NATO membership and strengthening economic ties between the two countries.
Both presidents said there are no problems between the two countries, adding political ties were excellent.
However, they said that economic ties could be upgraded and urged businessmen from both countries to increase cooperation.
Topi also urged Croatian businessmen to consider participating in Albania’s privatization of its key, strategic institutions this year.
Topi additionally made a public request to Mesic to influence his government to speed lifting visa requests of Albanians wishing to travel to Croatia.