ZAGREB, March 17 (Hina) - Croatia cannot carry out its new foreign policy routinely and expect the world to recognise it as a partner. We must assume our part of responsibility for the expansion of European relations in our region,
Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula said Friday. "It is certainly more challenging and worthwile to make a good step towards the problematic part of the neighbourhood than to carry out a routine diplomatic correspondence," Picula told a news conference in Zagreb at which he spoke about foreign affairs in Croatia in the past two weeks and announced some future initiatives.
ZAGREB, March 17 (Hina) - Croatia cannot carry out its new foreign
policy routinely and expect the world to recognise it as a partner.
We must assume our part of responsibility for the expansion of
European relations in our region, Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino
Picula said Friday.
"It is certainly more challenging and worthwile to make a good step
towards the problematic part of the neighbourhood than to carry out
a routine diplomatic correspondence," Picula told a news
conference in Zagreb at which he spoke about foreign affairs in
Croatia in the past two weeks and announced some future
initiatives. #L#
Picula said his ministry was developing both main reference points
of the Croatian Government's foreign policy -- the strategy of
accessing Euro-Atlantic associations and the policy of
consolidating good neighbourly relations.
As regards the second starting point, Picula underlined his visit
to Banja Luka last week.
"The visit opened a new chapter in relations between Croatia and
Bosnia-Herzegovina," he said.
Following the visits of Britain's and Denmark's foreign ministers
Robin Cook and Niels Helveg Petersen, we are developing partnership
relations with these two countries which had until now "often
criticised Croatia's policy, often with good reason".
Picula expressed conviction that these two countries would soon
rescind the necessity of visas for Croatian citizens.
He described as exceptionally important Thursday's visit of NATO
Secretary-General George Robertson to Croatia.
"The first step for joining NATO is accessing the Partnership for
Peace (programme), and we have received firm guarantees that this
would happen soon," Picula said.
He announced the first state visit of President Stipe Mesic next
week. Mesic is scheduled to visit Slovenia.
Picula will speak at the 56th session of the UN Human Rights
Commission in Geneva next week.
He said he would use his visit to Geneva to continue lobbying for
Croatia to be excluded from the joint monitoring system which also
includes Yugoslavia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Croatia's Foreign Minister said all ministries should in the next
month fulfil their commitments agreed on with the European
Commission as part of a Task Force.
"I believe that by the end of April or the beginning of May a large
part of the job would be completed, which would make it possible for
us to begin negotiations with the European Commission this summer
on a date for the start of talks on the beginning of negotiations on
the commencement of talks on an agreement on stabilisation and
association," Picula said.
"We must use this opportunity which does not present itself twice,"
he added.
Asked whether and when Mladen Naletilic Tuta would be extradited to
the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague, Picula said
there were no longer any legal obstacles for doing so, there was
only the issue of his health condition and a safe transport to The
Hague.
We wish to open up dialogue with The Hague tribunal and hear from
them how they view our future cooperation, and we would also like
them to be open for our arguments.
By the end of the month we will forward to the tribunal a letter in
which we will specify our views about our future cooperation,
Picula said, announcing the arrival of the tribunal's chief
prosecutor, Carla del Ponte, to Zagreb on April 5.
(hina) lml mm