CROATIA RECEIVES POSITIVE ASSESSMENT IN NATO'S ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT - PRESS

ZAGREB, April 28 (Hina) - After the European Commission issued a positive opinion on Croatia's application for EU membership, NATO has also positively assessed the country's progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration, the Zagreb-based Jutarnji List daily said in its issue to be published on Thursday, quoting from the Alliance's Annual Progress Report which it said was unavailable to the public.#L# The Progress Report is positive, it notes that Croatia is a developed democracy and that it has made progress in reform and in cooperation with the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, although the case of fugitive general Ante Gotovina remains unsolved, the paper's Brussels correspondent wrote. The report positively assessed the adjustment of the Croatian armed forces to NATO standards and said that Croatia played a key role in promoting stability and reconciliation in the region. The economy also received a positive mark, although the report cited resistance to foreign investment. The newspaper said that objections were mainly directed at the judiciary which NATO diplomatic sources described as "confused, slow and uncoordinated". The report cited the problem of discrimination against returning refugees, but said that the Government had announced that the issued would be dealt with and that some progress had been made in that area. The main problem was seen in complying with international treaties which Croatia has signed and which go beyond its legislation. The report said it was necessary to deal with Article 7 of the Constitution, which requires a two-thirds majority in Parliament for sending Croatian troops outside its territory except in case of UN peacekeeping operations or military exercises. The report, however, did not say that this issue should be resolved before Croatia joins the Alliance, the newspaper said. (Hina) vm