Moscow to Invite Grabar-Kitarović, Zagreb to Invite Putin to Official Visits?

“Today, we arranged a dynamic of high-level visits which will take place during this and in the next year,” said Davor Ivo Stier in Moscow after meeting with his colleague Sergej Lavrov

Although the Croatian chief of diplomacy did not specify which visits are planned, Jutarnji List unofficially learned there is a desire from the Russian side for President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović to visit the Russian Federation as soon as conditions allow, while it is not excluded that the Croatian side will invite Vladimir Putin to visit Croatia, as Jutarnji List reported on May 24, 2017.

The two states are soon due, during the high-level visit, to sign an agreement on cultural exchange, an additional protocol to address the issue of the building of the Russian Embassy in Zagreb, the protocol on cooperation in internal affairs and the cooperation of the EU and Russia. In Saint Petersburg this June, an economic forum will be organised, while a visit of Dr. Miro Kovač, President of the Parliament Committee for Foreign Affairs to Moscow, is also planned for the same month.

Expressing his satisfaction of Stier’s visit to Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said he sees no political background in the situation with the Croatian company Agrokor. “Today, among other things, we discussed this issue, pertaining to our economic and investment cooperation. I see good chances for the cooperation of our relevant institutions in the banking sector. As is known, Sberbank and VTB are part of the committee of trustees of Agrokor. Naturally, considering the problems that the company is facing, our bankers are interested in improving that structure. Today we touched on that issue and on the essence of the legal framework in Croatia. I am certain this issue needs to be solved by direct participants,” said Lavrov, who feels the “political aspect is only one – we will support the solution that will satisfy our banks and Agrokor.”

Ahead of the meeting of the two ministers came information from Sberbank that all necessary reserves for Agrokor loans have been created and that the sale of the debt is not planned, with the expression of hope that Agrokor will be able to consolidate the financial situation.

Davor Ivo Stier expressed his satisfaction that the talks in Moscow confirmed the Russian side “understand very well what the Croatian government is doing with the goal of stabilising this important concern of systematic importance for the Croatian economy.”

After a full 11 years, a visit was arranged for a Croatian foreign minister to go to Moscow, which silently indicated that relations between the two nations are somewhat neglected. “Today, we opened a new phase in relations of our two nations,” said Stier, expressing his satisfaction that this is also an opportunity to commemorate 25 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

“We planned the visit for a long time and it was a subject of talks on the edges of the Munich conference, when Lavrov also met with President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović.” For the Croatian side it is very important that a meeting of the intergovernmental commission for the cooperation of Croatia and the Russian Federation is set for early autumn, to be led from the Croatian side by Deputy Prime Minister Martina Dalić. One taskforce already held a meeting in April in Zagreb, and on the 12th and the 20th of June, 2017, the members of two more taskforces will meet. “We are preparing well for this session of the intergovernmental commission which met for the last time in 2010. In this way, we are intensifying economic cooperation.”

At the lunch prepared by Lavrov for Croatian guests, the two ministers also spoke of European topics, as well as security ones, especially after the new terrorist attack in Britain. Stier emphasised Croatia acts on all of these topics as an EU and NATO member nation, but cares deeply about dialogue with Russia. “The Russian Federation is an important factor in the promotion of peace and stability in southeast Europe, as it traditionally always has been, and still is to this day. This is why we also discussed the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.” They spoke of the gasification of the refinery in Bosanski Brod, with Sergej Lavrov stating that he is aware that this issue is not new and there is a desire from the Russian side to resolve it in the most efficient economic manner. “We are convinced this issue can be resolved, while specific forms of gasification of the refinery in Bosanski Brod will be found in direct dialogue with the participation of Republika Srpska and the central authority in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

Speaking of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, it was mutually concluded that the basis of peace and stability is the respect of equality of the three nations, as well as all citizens of BiH. “We have also spoken of the protection of the rights of religious minorities which are persecuted, above all, Christians who were persecuted in the world last year,” said Stier and Lavrov confirmed the position of Moscow on the commitment of consistent enactment of the Dayton Accord.

 

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