Visit to Japan by Dr. Mate Granic, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Croatia

13 December 1996

1. Dr. Mate Granic, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, will visit Japan with a suite from December 15 (Sun.) to 18 (Wed.).
   
   
2. During his stay in Japan, Dr. Granic will have talks with Mr. Yukihiko Ikeda, Foreign Minister, and Mr. Masahiko Koumura, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, to exchange views on the relations between Japan and Croatia in general and the progress of peace in the former Yugoslavia region. Dr. Granic will also make a curtesy call upon Mr. Soichiro Ito, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and exchange views on the development of economic relations between the two countries with economic leaders in Japan.
   
   
3. This will be the second Croatian Foreign Minister's visit to Japan after then Foreign Minieter Dr. Zvonimir Separovic's visit in March 1992, and the first since the opening of diplomatic relations between the two countries in March 1993. Croatia is one of the major countries in the peace process in the former Yugoslavia regiorn as one of the signatories of the Dayton peace Accords. Therefore, exchange of views between Japanes leaders and Dr. Granic is extremely significant, not only from the viewpoint of the relationship between Japan and Croatia, but also for Japan's contribution to the peace process in the former Yugoslavia.