BELGRADE, Serbia-Montenegro, Oct. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- The fundamental European value of reconciliation should become the priority of Croatia as the Balkan country aspires to join the European Union (EU), the EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said in Zagreb on Sunday.

    Rehn said at the end of his two-day visit that it is time for Croatia to leave the past behind and build a better and brighter future for its citizens as the EU was founded on the reconciliation of France and Germany, the Croatian HINA news agency reported.

    After opening entry negotiations on Tuesday, the EU expects Croatia to fulfill its commitments and continue cooperating with the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague until top war crimes suspect General Ante Gotovina appears before the court.

    Gotovina is wanted by The Hague tribunal for war crimes committed against ethnic Serbs 10 years ago, but has been on the run since 2001.

    Rehn said the EU's criterion had been full cooperation with TheHague tribunal and that there was no reason to doubt chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte's assessment that full cooperation had been achieved with Croatia.

    It was now more important to focus on reforms and other necessary conditions which had to be met than to speculate about the date when Croatia would join the EU, Rehn said. Enditem