WASHINGTON, July 15 (Hina) - Croatia is searching for a solution to the problem of an agreement on the non-extradition of Americans to the International Criminal Court (ICC) which would be acceptable to both Croatia and the United
States, the Croatian Assistant Defence Minister said in Washington on Monday.
WASHINGTON, July 15 (Hina) - Croatia is searching for a solution to
the problem of an agreement on the non-extradition of Americans to
the International Criminal Court (ICC) which would be acceptable to
both Croatia and the United States, the Croatian Assistant Defence
Minister said in Washington on Monday. #L#
During her visit to the United States, Assistant Minister Jelena
Grgic Polic held talks with representatives of the U.S. Department
of Defence and State Department. She met deputy assistant defence
secretary for Euro-Asia Mira Ricardel, acting assistant to the
Secretary of State for Europe and Euro-Asia Paul Jones and deputy
assistant to the State Secretary for NATO and security policy
Robert Bradtke.
The U.S. officials said the agreement on the non-extradition of
American citizens was of crucial importance for the United States,
Grgic Polic told Hina.
"Croatia is searching for a solution which would be in line with
legislation and specific political qualities, in accordance with
EU recommendations as well as to the satisfaction of the US," Grgic
Polic told the U.S. officials.
Croatia is on the list of countries which lost the U.S. military
assistance on July 1 because it failed to signed the bilateral
agreement with the U.S. on the non-extradition of Americans to the
ICC.
The U.S. sanctions do not refer to the already launched projects.
Grgic Polic said military cooperation with the U.S. was very
important to Croatia.
State Department officials Paul Jones and Robert Bradtke hailed the
Croatian government's decision to participate in peace operations
in Afghanistan and probably in Iraq, as well as in the fight against
terrorism.
On June 13, the Croatia government decided that Croatian units
would participate in stabilisation forces in Iraq.
Jones said the U.S. administration was concerned over the case of
Croatian General Ante Gotovina, indictee of the UN war crimes
tribunal at large.
Bradtke expressed interest in Croatian defence reforms.
During the talks, the officials stressed the great importance of
the U.S.-Adriatic Charter. It was said that the document
represented political cooperation and not a military alliance,
Grgic Polic said.
The charter expresses U.S. support to Croatia, Albania and
Macedonia on their path to NATO.
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