Croatian Foreign Minister Stier will travel to Moscow.
We want to have an open channel of communication with the Russian Federation, of course, from the position of a member of the EU and NATO, but the Russian side understands and accepts that, said Croatian Foreign Minister Davor Ivo Stier, commenting on his forthcoming official visit to Moscow, reports Večernji List on May 15, 2017.
On Monday, Stier was in Brussels where he participated in a meeting of the EU’s Council on Foreign Affairs which discussed, among other topics, EU policy towards the so-called Eastern Partnership, as well as the strengthening the defense co-operation within the EU.
“We want to have an open dialogue with the Russian Federation for a whole lot of reasons. Russia is also an important factor in the southeast of Europe, just like, for example, Turkey. And we want dialogue with both countries. So, we will certainly put the focus in Moscow on topics of security and stability of southeast Europe. And, of course, we will also discuss the issues of economic, cultural, and tourism cooperation. In all these fields, we will open a new chapter in our cooperation,” Stier said. Asked if he expected to talk in Moscow with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov about the crisis in Agrokor, whose largest creditors are two Russian banks, Stier did not give a clear answer.
“It is in the interest of Croatia, but I believe also in the interest of the Russian side, to have stability in that segment. With that goal, we have passed the special law. The Croatian government has very clear positions. To everyone who wants peace and stability, it is equally important to have economic stability,” said Stier.
The meeting between Lavrov and Stier in Moscow is expected in the days ahead of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which will be marked on 25 May. On the same day, a summit of heads of state and government of NATO members will be held in Brussels, where Croatia will be represented by President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović.
