Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman said in Subotica, Serbia on Saturday that his arrival was an opportunity to talk with Serbia's representatives about good neighbourly relations.

He began the visit to the local Croatian community by visiting the Croatian House, which is under construction. After visiting the Croatian National Council, he will talk with Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic.

Grlic Radman said they would talk “in good faith, in the interest of Serbia and Croatia, the two peoples. In the interest of good neighbourly relations, because one must talk.”

He said there were certain outstanding issues as a consequence of the Homeland War. “Although 30 years have passed, the wounds are still fresh. First and foremost, we are talking about 1,816 missing and abducted persons from Croatia.”

If they are not resolved, the outstanding issues “will burden future generations and the relations between the two countries,” he said.

Grlic Radman said he and Dacic would talk about a road map that should begin with bilateral consultations and a meeting of the state secretaries for outstanding issues. “That’s a mechanism that we should re-establish. We have a person and are waiting for Serbia to appoint its own coordinator.”

He said the Croatian House, whose construction is being financed by Croatia, showed that Croats in Serbia were strongly supported by Croatia.

After meeting with Dacic, Grlic Radman will visit the headquarters of the Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina, and then Croatian and Serbian delegations will attend a traditional event of Bunjevci Croats in Subotica.