Romania supporting Croatian EU ambitions
Romanian prime minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu has furthered the country's economic and political relationship with near neighbour Croatia by supporting the Balkan state's call for full membership to Nato and the EU.
The endorsement came during Croatian premier Ivo Sanader's recent visit to Bucharest during which the 2 leaders pledged to increase the states' level of economic cooperation, the Journal of Turkish Weekly reports.
That cooperation is evidenced by trade between the countries rising from $21.4 million (~£10.7 million) in 1998 to $360 billion (~£180 billion) in 2005 and a planned oil pipeline that will run through the 2 countries on its way to Italy.
Mr Popescu Tariceanu said that "Romania strongly and fully supports Croatia's candidacy for Nato", and claimed negotiations on a new European constitution should not harm Croatia becoming a member of the union.
Mr Sanader claimed that "Croatia is interested in stabilisation of its neighbourhood and in that regard Croatia will be part of common international policy", also asserting that he believed the country would be granted membership to the EU by the end of the decade.
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