WASHINGTON, June 26 (Hina) - Differing views regarding the war in Iraq and the International Criminal Court (ICC) and other matters have strained relations between Croatia and the United States, however, the USA expects to intensify
cooperation with Croatia, a senior State Department official said on Wednesday.
WASHINGTON, June 26 (Hina) - Differing views regarding the war in
Iraq and the International Criminal Court (ICC) and other matters
have strained relations between Croatia and the United States,
however, the USA expects to intensify cooperation with Croatia, a
senior State Department official said on Wednesday. #L#
Croatia was a good partner to the United States in the fight against
terrorism, the acting Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and
Eurasia, Paul Jones, told the US Senate's Foreign Affairs
Committee.
Unfortunately, its rather loud, different stand on Iraq and Article
98, its rejection to join in the consensus of countries-successors
to accept the unblocking of Yugoslav assets and its refusal to
submit to parliament for ratification the 1998 memorandum of
understanding with the USA on intellectual property have led to
tensions in bilateral relations, Jones said.
Croatia did not support the USA's military action in Iraq and it
rejected to sign a bilateral agreement on the non-extradition of US
citizens to the ICC, which is based on Article 98 of the ICC Rome
Statute which allows that type of agreement with countries that
have not signed the agreement on the establishment of the ICC, Jones
said.
He nevertheless added that the United States welcomed Croatia's
recent offer to send a military police unit to support the
reconstruction programme in Iraq.
The State Department and the future ambassador to Croatia, Ralph
Frank, are committed to finding additional opportunities for co-
operation, Jones told the sub-committee on European affairs during
a hearing on progress and challenges in ex-Yugoslav countries.
The United States is pleased with Croatia's reciprocal efforts to
decrease current bilateral tensions, he said.
The USA expects Croatia to fulfil its promise and facilitate the
return of Serb refugees, the restitution of their property, and the
reconstruction of their homes, Jones said, welcoming the Croatian
government's decision of June 12 to subsidise housing for refugees
who had lost their tenancy rights in Croatia.
The USA also hopes that Croatia will continue to cooperate fully
with The Hague-based war crimes tribunal, provide access to
documents, intensify efforts to locate indictee Ante Gotovina and
accept new indictments, Jones said.
While it supports Croatia's aspirations to become a member of NATO
and the EU, the USA first wants to see intensified efforts in
facilitating the return of refugees and co-operation with the ICTY,
Jones added.
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