Upon her arival, she met with the chief commander of the ISAF international peace troops, General Mauro del Vecchio, and NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan, Hikmet Cetin.
The talks with the two senior international officials in Afghanistan focused on the performing of NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) operations under the UN mandate. The ISAF involves contingents from 36 countries, members of NATO and the Partnership for Peace, including Croatia.
Currently, 9,500 troops are engaged in the operations, and they cover 50 percent of Afghanistan's territory. The number of troops will rise to 21,000 soldiers by the end of this year and they are to be deployed throughout the country.
General Del Vecchio said plans for the expansion of the ISAF mission constituted a security challenge for NATO troops, who have recently been exposed to an increasing number of attacks by Afghan Taliban and al-Qaida particularly along the Afghan border with Pakistan.
Minister Grabar Kitarovic announced that Croatia would increase the number of its troops from the current 50 to 150 and give its contribution to political reforms and the building of institutions in Afghanistan.
Gen. Del Vecchio and NATO's Senior Representative praised the Croatian contingent for its committed engagement, and hailed the announcement of the threefold rise in the number of Croatian soldiers.
The general said that he was very satisfied with Croatian soldiers and described them as prudent soldiers always ready to act.
Cetin, a former Turkish Prime Minister, said that the engagement of Croatia in the ISAF would be beneficial for the country's bid to join NATO.
Currently, the Croatian contingent includes 65 members: military police, diplomats and military physicians.
Later on Thursday, Minister Grabar Kitarovic will hold talks with her Afghan counterpart Abdullah Abdullah and will be received by President Hamid Karzai.