Eurasian Affairs Robert Bradtke told Hina on Wednesday.
He said US-Croatia relations were characterised by a positive development in many areas, including the Adriatic Charter process. He added the United States felt Croatia's role in Southeast Europe was very important.
Bradtke said the US strongly supported Croatia's efforts to join the European Union and NATO, but added the Gotovina issue was an obstacle to that.
Asked if the extradition of Gotovina was a condition for Croatia's admission to the EU and NATO, Bradtke said Croatia was unlikely to find a place in Euro-Atlantic institutions until the Gotovina issue was closed.
Asked if the US was in favour of Croatia's EU entry negotiations starting on March 17 independently of whether the fugitive general was arrested and handed over to the UN court by then, Bradtke said this issue should be settled by Croatia and the EU. He added it was up to the Union to say how that would impact the start of the entry negotiations.
He said, however, that cooperation with the UN court affected the US position on Croatia's NATO entry, an issue in which the US opinion carries great weight.
Addressing the Senate's House International Relations Committee, Bradtke spoke of US foreign assistance programmes. In his written statement to the committee, he underlined the importance of Croatia's cooperation with the Hague tribunal.
Bradtke said Euro-Atlantic integration could not be complete until Serbia and Montenegro, Croatia, and Bosnia's Serb entity fully cooperated with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). He underlined the importance of extraditing Gotovina, Radovan Karadzic, and Ratko Mladic.
Talking to Hina, Bradtke commented on the reduction of US assistance to Croatia planned for 2006. He said it was a reflection of progress Croatia had achieved in transition and of its economic development, adding this was why Croatia no longer needed as much help as previously.
Bradtke said the US and the Croatian government were working on other important issues.
The US plans to give Croatia 15 million dollars in 2006 as part of the Southeast Europe Enterprise Development programme, down from the 20 million granted this year. Croatia will receive funds from said programme for the last time in 2006.
Asked if the moment was right to cut assistance to Croatia given its efforts to join the EU and NATO, Bradtke said Croatia had achieved great progress and was receiving money from other sources, including the Union. He added Croatia ranked high in terms of income per capita and institution development.
Bradtke underlined that the reduction of assistance did not mean the US attached less importance to Croatia. He said it was primarily a question of other priorities and Croatia's progress.