The newly appointed ambassadors of Israel, Lebanon and Cote d'Ivoire to Croatia delivered their letters of credence to President Stjepan Mesic in Zagreb on Thursday. At the ceremony, Israeli Ambassador Yosef Amrani said that many things connected Israel and Croatia, and voiced hope that their bilateral relations, which he described as strong, would be further developed in the years to come.
Present-day Croatia is against all forms of discrimination and all occurrences of intolerance and holds that the truth is the best tool to counter any attempt to negate historical facts, the Croatian president said, adding that Croatia was following the developments in the Middle East with particular attention.
The Lebanese Ambassador, whose residence is in Vienna, Ishaya El-Kurya, expressed hope that the traditionally close and friendly relations between his country and Croatia would be enhanced. Receiving his credential letter, President Mesic said that Croatia and Lebanon were connected "by our joint Mediterranean Sea", and added that Croatia, as a participant in the UN mission in Lebanon, was trying to contribute to peace in the Middle East. The Ivorian ambassador whose residence is in Rome, Zoro Bi Bah Jeannot, expressed a wish for the strengthening of bilateral relations between his country and Croatia, including the establishment of a legal framework for improving it.