ZAGREB, Dec 10 (Hina) - Croatia has generally managed to ensure international support for its political goals this year, although foreign policy processes are still open, Foreign Minister Tonino Picula said on Monday. "We have
generally succeeded in ensuring international support for our political goals," he told a session of parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee speaking about Croatia's foreign affairs this year and prospects for next year. "All processes, bilateral and multilateral, are still open and nothing is completed," he added. Among this year's successes, he mentioned the signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union, the joining of the Vilnius group of countries aspiring to join NATO, significant headway in the rapprochement with the Central European Free Trade Agreement, activity within the anti-terrorist coalition, and the successful chairing of the Adriatic-Ionian
ZAGREB, Dec 10 (Hina) - Croatia has generally managed to ensure
international support for its political goals this year, although
foreign policy processes are still open, Foreign Minister Tonino
Picula said on Monday.
"We have generally succeeded in ensuring international support for
our political goals," he told a session of parliament's Foreign
Affairs Committee speaking about Croatia's foreign affairs this
year and prospects for next year. "All processes, bilateral and
multilateral, are still open and nothing is completed," he added.
Among this year's successes, he mentioned the signing of the
Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European
Union, the joining of the Vilnius group of countries aspiring to
join NATO, significant headway in the rapprochement with the
Central European Free Trade Agreement, activity within the anti-
terrorist coalition, and the successful chairing of the Adriatic-
Ionian Initiative and co-chairing of the Stability Pact for South
Eastern Europe's Third round table.
Picula dismissed as "unfounded" claims that the SAA, which the
European Parliament should ratify this Wednesday, leads Croatia
into new Balkan associations. He added that security, stability,
good neighbourly relations and cooperation in all regions Croatia
is part of was Croatia's general interest.
As regards relations with NATO, Picula said Croatia would join the
Membership Action Plan in the spring. He also reminded Croatia had
actively participated in the meetings of the Euro-Atlantic
Partnership Council and intensified relations with NATO.
Croatia has an excellent cooperation with Hungary, and with
Slovenia, despite well-known issues, the cooperation is excellent
in some other fields, said the foreign minister.
He voiced hope the problem in connection with Italy's wish to
decorate the 1943 authorities of Zadar had been settled.
As regards South Eastern Europe, which he described as "a
potentially unstable region," Picula said Croatia paid special
attention to ties with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
"The normalisation of relations with (Yugoslavia) will depend on
the situation (there)," he said, announcing Yugoslav Foreign
Minister Goran Svilanovic would visit Zagreb on Thursday.
Also this year, Croatia signed an agreement on succession to the
former Yugoslav federation, was dropped out of the United Nations
omnibus resolution on human rights, organised the first meeting of
parliamentary speakers of countries participating in the Adriatic-
Ionian Initiative, and held many bilateral meetings.
Croatia also chaired the ECOSOC, and actively participated in the
work of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe,
the Council of Europe, the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe,
and the Central European Initiative.
At the end of the session, the Foreign Affairs Committee adopted a
report Picula submitted on Croatia's foreign policy.
(hina) ha sb