EU POSTPONES ENTRY TALKS WITH CROATIA, SETS NO NEW DATE

BRUSSELS - European Union foreign ministers on Wednesday postponed the start of Croatia's entry talks, which were scheduled to begin on Thursday, without setting a new date, Luxembourg's Foreign Minister and President of the EU Council of Ministers, Jean Asselborn, announced in Brussels.#L# "In the absence of a common agreement, the opening of accession negotiations is postponed,"

Asselborn said at a news conference, reading out conclusions of the EU Council of Ministers.

The Council adopted a negotiating framework for Croatia, under which talks will open as soon as the necessary conditions are met.

According to the conclusions adopted at today's meeting, an intergovernmental bilateral conference will be convened by joint agreement as soon as the Council is able to establish that Croatia is fully cooperating with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).