RACAN: NATO MUST EXPAND EVEN AFTER PRAGUE SUMMIT

BUCHAREST, March 26 (Hina) - The process of strengthening global and regional security and expanding Euro-Atlantic institutions must continue even after the NATO summit in Prague in November, when NATO should make a decision about admitting new members, Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan said in Bucharest on Tuesday. #L# "The best answer to what we are to expect after Prague is the continuation of the strengthening and regional security," which implies further expansion of European and trans-Atlantic security institutions, since new security threats request the deepest cooperation possible, Racan said in his speech at the summit of the Vilnius Group (V-10), an organisation of countries aspiring to join NATO. NATO's future barriers will not be a factor of division only if its partners are outside of them cooperating tightly, Racan said. Croatia's strategic goals are entry into the European Union and NATO, Racan said, and added that Croatia had made "significant progress" in drawing closer to the goal. Croatia signed the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the European Union and is hoping that it will be ready to enter the EU by 2006. At the same time, extensive reforms of the defence system are taking place so it can become compatible with NATO standards, he said. Croatia is actively participating in NATO's Partnership for Peace programme, and has been carrying out intensive dialogue with NATO since last June. It expects to soon be included in NATO's Membership Action Plan (MAP), Racan said. He added that Croatia would continue with preparations for full interoperability with NATO and full membership in the organisation. Croatia is expected to enter MAP in May at a ministerial meeting in Reykjavik, when it's status should be made equal to that of other members of the Vilnius Group. Speaking about Croatia's efforts in promoting stability in the South-east of Europe, Racan said Croatia was doing everything to bring about "the solving of all open issues and creating the foundations for even better relations and cooperation with its neighbours". He applauded the recently signed agreement on the unification of Serbia and Montenegro, assessing that it would facilitate the solving of still unresolved issues between Croatia and this country. He also expressed hope that the EU and NATO would remain in the region, because the process of its stabilisation has still not been completed. (hina) lml