ZUZUL: CROATIA CAN AND WILL ASSUME LEADING ROLE IN SECURING STABILITY IN SE EUROPE

LONDON, Feb 10 (Hina) - On its way to the European Union and NATO Croatia, as the most advanced country in the region, can and will assume the leading role in securing stability in Southeast Europe, Croatian Foreign Minister Miomir Zuzul said in London on Tuesday evening.#L# After he arrived in London from Dublin Zuzul held a lecture in the Royal Institute of International Affairs called "Croatia as a Bridge Toward Stability in Southeast Europe". Croatia proved that it had a mature democracy and mature institutions which can solve problems and there is a great support in the country for meeting the two main strategic goals of Croatia's foreign policy -- joining the EU and NATO, Zuzul said. Speaking about the situation in the region, the minister said Croatia , after Slovenia which will join the EU this year, made the biggest progress on the path towards Brussels. He said that Zagreb's joining the EU would be a positive message to the entire region. "We are the lucky generation because we participate in the millennium process of making the dream about a united Europe come true, but the process cannot be completed until Southeast European countries join the EU," Zuzul said. Commenting on Zagreb's cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), notably general Ante Gotovina, Zuzul said the Croatian government would meet its obligations towards the Hague tribunal and that the Ivo Sanader cabinet had called on Gotovina to start communicating with the ICTY. Zuzul said he was confident that it was clear to the international community that Gotovina was not in Croatia. Zagreb cannot be held responsible if Gotovina is not in Croatia, Zuzul said. On Wednesday the Croatian foreign minister will hold talks with British Defence Minister Geoff Hoon, European Affairs Minister Dennis McShane and Foreign Minister Jack Straw. The talks will focus on Croatia's drawing closer to the EU and NATO. (Hina) it