ZAGREB ZAGREB, March 7 (Hina) - Croatia's political image abroad depends on internal politics and its wish to develop democracy, welfare state and free market, said Radovan Vukadinovic, the head of the Croatian society for
international studies (HUMS). Addressing a gathering called "International Relations and Croatia's Foreign Policy in New Political Ambience," Vukadinovic on Tuesday said Croatia had now a chance to present itself as cosier and more attractive country in transition which is trying to compensate for set-backs from recent years. At the event, organised by the HUMS and the Institute for the International Relations (IMO), he added that in his opinion that there are three dominant directions of the Croatian foreign policy - the relationships with the European Union (EU), relations with the only remaining world power, United States, and relations with its neighbours. Mladen Stanicic, th
ZAGREB, March 7 (Hina) - Croatia's political image abroad depends
on internal politics and its wish to develop democracy, welfare
state and free market, said Radovan Vukadinovic, the head of the
Croatian society for international studies (HUMS).
Addressing a gathering called "International Relations and
Croatia's Foreign Policy in New Political Ambience," Vukadinovic
on Tuesday said Croatia had now a chance to present itself as
cosier and more attractive country in transition which is trying to
compensate for set-backs from recent years.
At the event, organised by the HUMS and the Institute for the
International Relations (IMO), he added that in his opinion that
there are three dominant directions of the Croatian foreign policy
- the relationships with the European Union (EU), relations with
the only remaining world power, United States, and relations with
its neighbours.
Mladen Stanicic, the head of the IMO, spoke how much a foreign
policy and economy are related. His speech focused on the Stability
Pact for South-Eastern Europe, and he asserted that, owing to its
geo-political position Croatia, "is in the centre of the project
and that's why Europe needs it (Croatia)."
The world seldom offers several chances to anyone; Croatia had its
first chance in 1990 and failed to use it; now it has another one and
if it does not grab it, it is not likely to be offered yet another one
chance, said Stanko Nick, Croatian President Stipe Mesic's advisor
for foreign policy.
Damir Grubisa of the IMO presented results of six-month-long
research which this Institute had carried out during the run-up to
the parliamentary and presidential elections, monitoring stands in
foreign policies of various parties during their electioneering.
According to the results, there are three models of foreign
policies:
- isolationist approach, advocates of which were former
authorities. For them the blame for blocking Croatia's efforts to
come nearer to European institutions should be pinned on the
international community.
- xenophobic approach, advocates of which urge total isolation from
the world and the barriers against anything which could endanger
national interests which must be above all; and
- Europeanism, or pro-active model adjusted to customs of the world
foreign policy, which prefer cooperation, flexibility, and
interpret national interests as an interest of the entire political
community, i.e. nation. Those who advocated this approach were
opposition during the research and now are in power in Croatia.
(hina) mm ms