The programme, adopted at a closed-door session, is the result of cooperation of all the government departments and services involved in the process of adjustment to NATO standards, including the Office of the President and the Parliament, a government source told Hina.
The source said that one of the government's most important goals was to ensure the country's full readiness to join NATO as soon as the alliance decided on the next round of enlargement. In the document Croatia expressed its willingness to participate in any present or future joint plans with NATO.
The government intends to step up its activities aimed at promoting Croatia's membership in NATO, and will also intensify its commitment towards meeting political and economic criteria for EU membership.
The government official said that Croatia firmly supported NATO policy and would expand its involvement in alliance operations, including the peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan. Croatia intends to participate in a civilian provincial reconstruction team in Feyzabad, which is led by Germany, and its civilian engagement will include diplomats, civilian police instructors and possibly civilian and army medical personnel.
Croatia plans to support efforts by the international community to establish peace, stability and democracy in Iraq. It has received seven Iraqi children for medical treatment and has arranged for six Iraqi physicians to receive forensic training in Croatia. The government of Prime Minister Ivo Sanader has also expressed its readiness to help in training Iraqi police officers in Jordan.
The Annual National Programme will be sent to NATO by the end of this month, and a Croatian team headed by National Coordinator for NATO Pjer Simunovic will discuss it before NATO's political committee in Brussels in the second half of October.