The only remaining issue is full cooperation with the Hague war crimes tribunal and the arrest of runaway general Ante Gotovina.
"March 17 is only the beginning of a process, and Croatia's obligations before and after that date remain the same," the minister said at the seminar which pooled journalists from Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Serbia and Montenegro.
She added that it was in Croatia's interests to settle this issue as soon as possible.
Regardless of the balance of forces in the EU, Croatia does not want to think about whether some countries favour it more than others, the minister said.
"We are making maximum efforts to solve this issue and convince the EU that we are really working on it. We do not want to cause any division in the EU, but we want a consensus to be reached on the matter," Grabar Kitarovic added.
Even if the start of accession talks is postponed, Croatia will not lose its candidate status or access to EU pre-accession funds, the minister said.