ZAGREB, CROATIA – Croatia and Morocco have good and friendly relations without any open issues and Zagreb and Ribat should bolster economic relations, Croatian Foreign Minister and his Moroccan counterpart, Taib Fasi Fihri, who is on an official visit to Croatia, assessed on Monday. 

- There are no open issues between our countries. Now we want to boost economic cooperation, especially in fishery, tourism and shipbuilding – Jandrokovic said, adding that he advocated “a total increase of the exchange of goods in which Croatia’s deficit is very high”.

In 2008 the market exchange between the two countries totalled 143 million dollars.

- We hope that Croatian and Moroccan business people will find their interests and advance their economic cooperation – Jandrokovic said.

Moroccan foreign minister in Croatia for the first time 

- Morocco has developed economic relations with the European Union and I believe that, once we access the European Union, we will find new ways of boosting cooperation, as well as within the framework of the Mediterranean Union – Jandrokovic added.

Minister Fihri said that Morocco respected Croatia as a country in the heart of Europe, a member of NATO an of the Council of Europe, a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and a country which is ending its accession negotiations with the EU.

- I am here to see how we can boost bilateral cooperation. It is possible in many areas, so this visit is very important – Minister Fihri said, adding:

- We consider Croatia a potentially important partner in Europe – he stressed.

The ministers also exchanged views about the two countries’ main foreign policy goals, as well as about cooperation within multilateral institutions, especially the UN.

This is the first visit of the Moroccan foreign minister to Croatia.