Sanader was speaking to reporters during a visit to the Russian ship Bavenit, which was exploring samples of the sea bed on the site of a future bridge that would connect the southern Croatian peninsula of Peljesac to the mainland.
"I have to wait for a confirmation from our diplomatic circles as to who has won the presidential election in the US, but regardless of who wins the election in the world's leading country, Croatia wants to have good relations with the US, based on partnership," Sanader said.
The prime minister said that large and mature democracies did not change their foreign policy after change of government.
"According to the present results, it seems that Republican candidate George W. Bush will win, and the Croatian government will congratulate him on the victory," he said.
Asked to comment on today's address by Hague Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Carla del Ponte to the NATO Permanent Council in Brussels, in which she demanded that Croatia urgently arrest Ante Gotovina and Miroslav Bralo, the prime minister said he had not yet read her speech, but recalled that Croatia had pledged full cooperation with the tribunal and that it would meet its commitments.