ZAGREB ZAGREB, March 16 (Hina) - Defence Minister Zeljka Antunovic on Saturday rebutted any speculations that the United States had forwarded any new requests to Croatia in relation to the announced American military
operation.
ZAGREB, March 16 (Hina) - Defence Minister Zeljka Antunovic on
Saturday rebutted any speculations that the United States had
forwarded any new requests to Croatia in relation to the announced
American military operation. #L#
In her interview with a television station on Saturday evening,
Antunovic reiterated that on 26 February the government had made a
decision on allowing Americans to use Croatia's airspace for
overflights by civilian transport planes of coalition forces in the
event of a military action in Iraq. Pursuant to the decision, that
type of planes could land and receive fuel supply at Croatian
airports.
Explaining the decision, the minister said it defined the extent of
the government's approvals with regard to the possible request of
that kind from United States.
Antunovic said that since then no new request had arrived from
Washington. "Some talks and indications of possible needs of the
United States have occurred. And, in a bid to brace ourselves for
potential events, we have considered all possibilities and more
than what the United States has talked about, and (we have) defined
our abilities according to law - the possibilities which can be
granted by the government, i.e. our institutions that control and
conducts overflights and landing of international aircraft," she
said.
"We clearly told the United States that anything beyond this can be
approved only by the Croatian parliament," the minister stressed.
Asked whether in the meantime any new American enquiries appeared,
for instance the enquires for the use of airports and seaports and
full cooperation with secret services, she resolutely refuted such
allegations.
"I must absolutely deny your statement. No new requests have
appeared, particularly not in connection with possible use of
Croatian capacities, regarding either the entering of seaports or
arrival of U.S. troops," she said.
She added that what did appear was the request that Croatia "define
its final political stand."
"What has appeared - and what has been confirmed by the foreign
ministry and the government - is that Croatia define its final
political stand," she stressed.
The request is related to questions whether there is "any
difference in our stands if the UN Security Council adopts a
resolution (concerning a military action against Iraq) or if there
will be no resolution," the minister said adding that this issue,
together with many other subject matters from foreign affairs, was
discussed and mulled over by top Croatian officials at their
meeting on Thursday.
Asked about a possibility of the deployment of Croatian soldiers in
Iraq, the minister said this at the moment was out of the question.
It is only the parliament that can make any decision on sending
Croatian soldiers to any kind of mission outside Croatia, she said
adding that nobody asked of Croatia to send its soldiers (in Iraq).
Asked about a possible start of the war, the minister said that
according to the latest developments she believed that the military
operation was imminent.
(hina) ms