"It is unreasonable to allow one case to prevent Croatia from joining the European Union and NATO and thus prevent the stabilisation of the region," Jurica told the participants in the US State Department diplomatic academy.
He said that all available data showed that Gotovina was not in Croatia and that it was unfair to expect Croatia to prove that the fugitive general was not in the country.
Jurica stressed Croatia was devoted to full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the international community in the solving of this one remaining outstanding issue in the country's cooperation with the tribunal.
"Croatia hails and encourages other countries to give information on Gotovina's whereabouts in order to remove this last issue from the agenda," Jurica said in the national center for the education of diplomats.
He said that halting Croatia's joining the EU would affect the economic growth not only of Croatia but of the entire region.
The ambassador also spoke about Croatia's home and foreign policy, notably on the country's joining the EU and NATO as strategic objective of the foreign policy and about partnership relations between Croatia and the United States.
He said the objective of the Croatian government was full readiness for EU membership by 2007 when the country should meet all political, economic, legal and administrative criteria. Jurica also highlighted Croatia's contribution to some NATO missions, such as the one in Afghanistan, the implementation of reforms necessary for membership, notably judiciary and defence system reforms, and added the country expected to be given an invitation for full NATO membership at the next enlargement summit.
Speaking about friendly and partnership relations with the United States, Jurica said Croatia's determination to join the EU was inseparable from the friendship and partnership with the United States.
"Croatia refuses to choose between the EU and the United States and the country's strategic interest is to be a part of the EU and as reliable partner to the United States as possible," the ambassador said and added the two countries were strengthening their partnership by working together on the promotion of regional stability, economic progress and the democratic transition of Croatia and Southeast Europe.