ZAGREB, Dec 21 (Hina) - In 2002 when it celebrated the 10th anniversary of its international recognition, Croatia re-established sovereignty over the last piece of its territory - the southernmost peninsula of Prevlaka. After Croatian
Foreign Minister Tonino Picula and his Yugoslav counterpart Goran Svilanovic signed a protocol on temporary regime along the southern border-line, on 15 December the UN monitors in Prevlaka wrapped up their mission (UNMOP).
ZAGREB, Dec 21 (Hina) - In 2002 when it celebrated the 10th
anniversary of its international recognition, Croatia re-
established sovereignty over the last piece of its territory - the
southernmost peninsula of Prevlaka. After Croatian Foreign
Minister Tonino Picula and his Yugoslav counterpart Goran
Svilanovic signed a protocol on temporary regime along the southern
border-line, on 15 December the UN monitors in Prevlaka wrapped up
their mission (UNMOP). #L#
This marked the end of the last UN peace mission in Croatia and
Zagreb regained authority over the last piece of its soil.
Zagreb and Belgrade, however, still have to define the border-lie
on the sea.
The most import results of this year's efforts in foreign affairs
should be visible in early 2003 when Croatia, according to
announcements of the country's senior officials, should apply for
the membership in the European Union.
Due to the case of retired General Janko Bobetko, indicted by the UN
war crimes tribunal (ICTY), some EU member-states did not yet
ratify a Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Croatia
and the Union, although the ratification had been planned.
On Wednesday, 18 December, the Croatian parliament adopted a joint
text of the resolution on the country's bids to enter the EU. The
document defines Croatia's full membership in the EU as the
country's priority in its foreign policy.
Premier Ivica Racan has announced that in February 2003 Zagreb will
submit the application for the membership in the Union, and said
that Croatia's goal is to be given the status of a candidate for the
EU membership and to launch negotiations on the matter by mid-2004
at the latest.
Other successes of the foreign policy in 2002 was Croatia's
admission to NATO's Membership Action Plan (MAP) and the signing of
an agreement on joining the Central European Free Trade Agreement
(CEFTA).
Croatia was admitted to the MAP in May at the Reykjavik meeting of
NATO foreign ministers when it was commended for progress it had
achieved in reforms and in the partnership with the Alliance as well
as for its contribution to the stability in the Balkans.
By signing the agreement on the entry to the CEFTA on 5 December,
Croatia became the eighth member of this European integrating body.
The agreement is now to be ratified by parliaments of other CEFTA
members, and this will open a market with some 100 million people
for Croatia. Croatia is likely to become a full CEFTA member in
first quarter of 2003.
Croatia's bids to draw closer to EuroAtlantic integration
processes were the main topic of talks Croatian senior officials
led with foreign officials and diplomats this year. During 2002
many foreign high-ranking officials, including UN Secretary-
General, visited Croatia. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he
was glad to see that Croatia, which used to be a country where UN
peace-keepers had been deployed to ensure peace, turned into a
country which sends its soldiers and officers in UN peace missions
in the world. Croatian soldiers have already taken part in UN peace
missions at several crisis spots and MPs should decide in 2003 to
give the green light for Croatians' participation in the UN mission
in Afghanistan.
Regarding the relations with neighbours, some burning issues have
remained unsettled.
This year, Croatia and Slovenia did not manage to solve the issue of
Piran Bay, the Krsko-based nuclear power plant and the savings from
Ljubljanska Bank.
Zagreb and Sarajevo signed several bilateral agreements, and this
autumn opened a border crossing near Kostajnica. The Croatian-
Bosnian ties are, however, still burdened with open issues
concerning a status of southern seaport of Ploce, dual citizenship
and property relations.
Zagreb and Belgrade this year made a step forward in the
normalisation of relations with the signing of the Prevlaka
protocol, and on Monday (23 December), Croatia and Yugoslavia
should sign a bilateral agreement on free trade.
Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Yugoslavia have
recently signed a framework agreement on the Sava River basin.
In June Zagreb was the venue for a two-day international conference
of NATO on stability and security in south-eastern Europe. Present
at the conference was NATO Secretary-General George Robertson.
In May Zagreb hosted the 16th conference of European parliaments'
chairmen. The event pooled some 400 participants who discussed the
topic of democracies being encountered with terrorism.
(hina) ms