ZAGREB, Feb 9 (Hina) - Croatia is still far from a decision on sending its troops to Iraq, but there is a possibility that medical teams will be sent, Foreign Minister Miomir Zuzul said at a news conference in Zagreb on
Monday.
ZAGREB, Feb 9 (Hina) - Croatia is still far from a decision on sending
its troops to Iraq, but there is a possibility that medical teams will
be sent, Foreign Minister Miomir Zuzul said at a news conference in
Zagreb on Monday.#L#
Zuzul made the statement when asked if yesterday's talks with US
Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld had addressed the sending of
Croatian soldiers to Iraq.
"Participation (in the mission) in Iraq was discussed in principle,
and we mentioned the possibility of sending medical teams," Zuzul
said.
He added that the deployment of Croatian soldiers outside the country
would be regulated with laws and that the government wished to reach a
consensus with political parties before passing such a decision.
Zuzul said that there had been no concrete talks with Rumsfeld on the
signing of a bilateral agreement on the non-extradition of US soldiers
to the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The EU has suggested
to its future members not to sign such agreements with the United
States.
"We will conduct a balanced policy towards the United States and the
EU and we won't do anything that may jeopardise our integration into
the EU and NATO," Zuzul said.
Zuzul believes that "none of the friendly countries, including the
USA, would seek decisions which would stop (Croatia's) integration in
the EU". He expects a positive answer from the European Commission
regarding Croatia's membership application and that the EC would make
its opinion known in spring.
The foreign minister announced the continuation of his diplomatic
offensive on European capitals to acquaint EU members with Croatia's
results in the fulfilment of political requirements for EU
membership.
Zuzul and his associates will today travel to Dublin, after which they
will visit London and Berlin.
At today's new conference the minister introduced his newly-appointed
assistants Neven Madey, Tomislav Vidosevic and David Sopta. The
appointments ensued after the government last week adopted a proposal
for the reorganisation of the ministry in line with the priorities of
foreign policy.
(Hina) rml sb