ZAGREB, May 10 (Hina) - Croatia most strongly condemns international terrorism and will resolutely continue to actively contribute to the efforts of the global anti-terrorist coalition, Prime Minister Ivica Racan said at a conference
of European parliamentary assemblies in Zagreb on Friday.
ZAGREB, May 10 (Hina) - Croatia most strongly condemns
international terrorism and will resolutely continue to actively
contribute to the efforts of the global anti-terrorist coalition,
Prime Minister Ivica Racan said at a conference of European
parliamentary assemblies in Zagreb on Friday. #L#
The Croatian government maintains that all activities aimed at
preventing terrorism have to be implemented with full respect for
proscribed procedures and laws, and rejects any collective guilt by
a race, nation or religion, said Racan.
He added the Croatian government was taking all necessary steps to
prevent terrorism and thus contribute to peace and stability in the
region.
"In Croatia security measures have been stepped up and legislation
adjustment processes launched to maintain Croatia's status as a
safe country. Cooperation has also been intensified with
neighbouring countries, both bilateral and within regional
associations, in order to oppose terrorism," said Racan.
Croatia has signed agreements on cooperation in combating
organised crime, illegal drug abuse, and terrorism with 18
countries, while the signing of 32 more such agreements is being
prepared, he recalled.
"The prevention of terrorism calls for strong ties among all
democratic states as the struggle against terrorism is also the
struggle for human rights, tolerance, dialogue, and the
coexistence of diversity. A component part of that struggle is
noticing the various forms and sources of terrorism, as well as
looking for effective solutions for a whole series of problems
favouring terrorism," said Racan.
He added the Zagreb conference "constitutes a big acknowledgement
to Croatia's efforts to strengthen peace, cooperation, tolerance,
and good neighbourly relations." Racan hoped the conference would
bolster cooperation among Council of Europe members' parliaments
in all fields, including anti-terrorism.
The conference was also addressed by Peter Scheider, the president
of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly. He said the
conference was important because the need to combat terrorism had
erased borders between the local and the international level, and
because it made parliaments' role in the struggle outstanding.
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