Croatia's Prime Minister Ivo Sanader will make a landmark visit to Serbia on Monday, paving the way for stronger economic and political ties between the two old foes of the Balkan wars in the 1990s. The one-day trip, which will yield agreements on the protection of ethnic minorities and technical and scientific cooperation, sends a strong signal that the two neighbouring countries are ready to put the legacy of conflict behind them. The first Croatian head of government to pay an official visit to Serbia, Sanader said he expected it to be a key step in normalizing relations between Belgrade and Zagreb. Good ties with its neighbours are important for Croatia's hopes of starting European Union membership talks next year.
