Croatia's new ambassador to Serbia, Zeljko Kupresak, said in Srijemska Mitrovica on Monday he would push for reopening communication between the highest state bodies of Serbia and Croatia as well as for the exercise of Croat minority rights in Serbia in accordance with European standards.

"We expect (Croatian) Prime Minister Ivo Sanader as well as President Stjepan Mesic to visit Serbia soon," Kupresak told the Croatian media in the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, adding that reopened communication would improve Croatian-Serbian relations.

He met representatives of the Croat community in Vojvodina. "For all the people in Serbia declaring themselves as Croats, we have to do everything so that they acquire all the rights minorities have in the EU," he said, adding that attempts would be made for the Croat minority in Serbia to acquire the same rights minorities have in Croatia. "Croatia has high minority standards and we will attempt to achieve the same in Serbia."

Kupresak said Croatia had nothing against the establishment of a Serbian commercial bank in Croatia, for which the Vojvodina government set aside EUR 150,000 last week. He added this initiative could be useful for the Croat minority in Serbia as well.