Speaking to the press after meeting Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on Wednesday, Colston said he was very satisfied with the continuation of real progress in the meeting of standards that would qualify Croatia as a potential NATO member. He added Croatia was on the right track, both in meeting its own national and security interests and in preparing for possible membership.
Colston said he and a NATO expert team had come to Zagreb to help Croatia in its preparations for potential NATO membership within the Membership Action Plan.
He reiterated the messages from the last NATO summit in Riga last November, when member-countries' presidents and prime ministers encouraged Croatia's aspirations to join the Alliance.
Colston said he had thanked Mesic for Croatia's contribution to NATO's operation in Afghanistan and that he had commended Croatia's positive role in Southeast Europe.
The two officials talked about Zagreb's progress in modernising the military, in refugee return and in judicial reform as well as about the encouraging signs of growing public support and understanding of the advantages of NATO membership.