ZAGREB, Dec 16 (Hina) - The new Croatian government led by the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) will invest great efforts "to dispel the Western fear and improve ties with the European Union, Washington and Balkan neighbours," said
Miomir Zuzul, a senior HDZ official, in an interview he granted to Reuters on Tuesday.
ZAGREB, Dec 16 (Hina) - The new Croatian government led by the
Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) will invest great efforts "to
dispel the Western fear and improve ties with the European Union,
Washington and Balkan neighbours," said Miomir Zuzul, a senior HDZ
official, in an interview he granted to Reuters on Tuesday. #L#
Zuzul, who is the likeliest future foreign minister, told a Reuters
correspondent that his party, which was in the West often labelled
as nationalist, had been transformed into a moderate conservative
party akin Germany's Christian Democrats (CDU).
"We want full and fair cooperation with the Hague-based Tribunal in
accordance with the U.N. resolutions and other rules. We may not
always see eye to eye with the tribunal, but we will cooperate even
when we disagree," Zuzul said.
He went on to say that the country's EU membership remains priority
and Croatia would try to catch up with Romania and Bulgaria.
He also announced the improvement of cooperation with neighbours.
"We want to see Serbia-Montenegro and Bosnia move towards NATO and
EU membership and we will support them. However, we do not want to be
hostage of their progress. The pace should be individual for every
country," he said.
He added that Zagreb would be looking carefully at the general
elections in Serbia on December 28, hoping that the winners would be
politicians "who share our vision of good neighbourly relations",
he said.
Commenting on the relations with Sarajevo, he said Croatia
"respects Bosnia as a sovereign country".
Zuzul, a former Croatian ambassador to Washington, said the new
government would enhance the ties with the United States which were
shadowed by Zagreb's refusal to support the war in Iraq and sign an
agreement on non-extradition of American nationals to the
International Criminal Court (ICC).
"We want to lift those relations to a better than ever level. The
U.S. role in Europe is irreplaceable and we want balanced relations
with the EU and the United States. I do not believe Croatia has to
choose between one of them," he said.
(hina) ms sb