Merkel to visit Croatia and Serbia

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will begin next week a European tour during which she will visit both Croatia and Serbia. German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said today that Merkel will meet next Monday in Zagreb with Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor and Croatian President Ivo Josipovic. The spokesman said the talks which the German Chancellor will hold in Croatia will deal with relations between the two countries and international issues, in addition to the situation in the Western Balkans. Seibert said that Merkel''s visit to Croatia would be an occasion to offer double congratulations to the Prime Minister of Croatia on twentieth anniversary of her country''s independence day and the conclusion of talks on the Croatia''s accession to the European Union. He added that Merkel is expected to proceed on Monday evening to the Serbian capital Belgrade, where she will hold the next day talks with Serbian President Boris Tadic and Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic on bilateral, international and economic issues.