CROATIA OFFICIALLY REQUESTS ENTRY INTO MAP

BRUSSELS, May 8 (Hina) - Croatia on Wednesday officially requested to join NATO's Membership Action Plan (MAP) as the last step on its entry into the Treaty. It expects to access the programme next week at a NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Reykjavik. Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula in Brussels on Wednesday handed a letter to NATO Secretary-General George Robertson, in which the Croatian government expressed its wish to enter NATO's MAP. NATO's Permanent Council and Lord Robertson expressed support to Croatia and its goal, and an official decision will be made in Reykjavik on May 14 and 15, Picula said after his meeting with Robertson and representatives of NATO countries. According to him, NATO sees Croatia as a country which can serve as an example to other countries in the region with gradual problem solving and implementing reforms. Picula acquainted his collocutors with Croatia's achievements in internal and foreign affairs, Croatia's views of the situation in the region, progress in relations with neighbours and reforms in areas of national security and defence. NATO expects of Croatia to contribute to the stability in the Southeast of Europe with its policy, Picula said. "It was openly stated that Croatia was expected to continue supporting NATO's mission in Bosnia, developing good neighbourly relations with Serbia and Montenegro, stimulate the return of refugees, and continue cooperating with the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague," he said. (hina) lml