ZAGREB/BRUSSELS, June 7 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Minister Jozo Rados, who attended a meeting of defence ministers of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) in Brussels on Friday, thanked NATO for inviting Croatia to join the
Membership Action Plan (MAP), stressing Croatia's contribution to the stabilisation of the region, particularly Bosnia-Herzegovina.
ZAGREB/BRUSSELS, June 7 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Minister Jozo
Rados, who attended a meeting of defence ministers of the Euro-
Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) in Brussels on Friday, thanked
NATO for inviting Croatia to join the Membership Action Plan (MAP),
stressing Croatia's contribution to the stabilisation of the
region, particularly Bosnia-Herzegovina. #L#
The regular biannual meeting was attended by defence ministers from
all NATO and Partnership for Peace member-countries. The ministers
were discussing NATO's future, the role of the EAPC in the
international struggle against terrorism, and the situation in the
Balkans.
"In spite of the transformation of many countries into democratic
systems and their mutual dependence, numerous unsolved problems
could cause new crises and once again destabilise the region. I want
to use this opportunity to summarise the challenges and emphasise
Croatia's contribution to the stabilisation of the region,
particularly Bosnia-Herzegovina," Rados said, speaking about the
situation in the Balkans.
He said Croatia entirely supported Bosnia's internal democratic
development and welcomed the recent adoption of constitutional
amendments.
Croatia has been directly helping the Stabilisation Force (SFOR)
mission and believes that despite claims on the reduction of SFOR
troops, NATO's presence remains the crucial factor for the
stability and development of Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Croatian
Defence Minister said. He said Croatia also welcomed Bosnia and
Yugoslavia's intention to develop closer ties with NATO and the
European Union.
Rados said Croatia and Bosnia would reopen negotiations on military
cooperation.
Speaking about security in the region, Rados said that the list of
problems was still long, starting with political instability,
economic difficulties, ethnic and religious differences, to
organised crime, corruption, weapons and drug smuggling, and
illegal migrations.
Rados and the defence ministers of 10 countries aspiring to join
NATO on Friday morning met US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld.
The ministers discussed the global struggle against terrorism and
the security situation in the world.
(hina) it sb