German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said Wednesday he backed starting talks aimed at European Union membership for Croatia from 2005. Schroeder, who made his comments after meeting Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader in Berlin, did not say when he expected Croatia to join the 25-member European Union (E.U.). Sanader said Zagreb hopes to join the E.U. in 2007 - the same year that Bulgaria and Romania are expected to join the bloc.