ZAGREB, March 17 (Hina) - The Croatian government will stick by its decision not to support any military action against Iraq without the approval of the U.N. Security Council, government officials said on Monday.
ZAGREB, March 17 (Hina) - The Croatian government will stick by its
decision not to support any military action against Iraq without
the approval of the U.N. Security Council, government officials
said on Monday. #L#
"We would like to see unity in the Security Council even at the
eleventh hour," a senior government official said, adding he did
not believe this was possible at the moment.
Government officials said the government would not go back on its
promises given to the United States and its allies, which include
the use of Croatia's air space and air bases by coalition forces in a
war against Iraq.
The Croatian government, the official said, is taking care about
some 1,000 Croatian citizens in Iraq and neighbouring states,
including two Croats who are members of a U.N. team inspecting Iraqi
weapons.
The same government source said that all key factors in the state
policy were unanimous about the Iraqi crisis.
Anticipating a war in Iraq, Croatia has withdrawn some of its
diplomatic staff and their families from Israel and Tehran, the
foreign ministry confirmed on Monday.
The Croatian diplomatic staff in other countries close to Iraq,
except for Egypt, have already been withdrawn. Croatia did not have
any diplomatic staff in Iraq.
(hina) rml sb