VIENNA, March 23 (Hina) - The session of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Permanent Council has been extremely important since Croatia may expect the international community will give definite form to
promises of financial assistance, a Croatian official said in Vienna on Thursday. "As of today, I am a somewhat bigger optimist when it comes to concrete forms of financial assistance for Croatia," Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula told reporters. He added several ambassadors had announced concrete measures by their governments as part of a Stability Pact for Southeast Europe donors' conference, which will take place in Brussels on March 29 and 30. "They said there is no doubt whatsoever that their governments will know how to support the Croatian government's ambition not do divide its citizens by religious or national belonging," Picula said at a press con
VIENNA, March 23 (Hina) - The session of the Organisation for
Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Permanent Council has
been extremely important since Croatia may expect the
international community will give definite form to promises of
financial assistance, a Croatian official said in Vienna on
Thursday.
"As of today, I am a somewhat bigger optimist when it comes to
concrete forms of financial assistance for Croatia," Croatian
Foreign Minister Tonino Picula told reporters.
He added several ambassadors had announced concrete measures by
their governments as part of a Stability Pact for Southeast Europe
donors' conference, which will take place in Brussels on March 29
and 30.
"They said there is no doubt whatsoever that their governments will
know how to support the Croatian government's ambition not do
divide its citizens by religious or national belonging," Picula
said at a press conference after addressing the 256th session of
OSCE's Permanent Council.
The foreign minister, who will head a Croatian delegation at the
donors' conference, believes he will hear many good news for
Croatia in Brussels. The financial aspects of the donors'
conference will be fulfilled in a measure greater than expected,
Picula said.
The international community is becoming aware of the fact that the
Croatian government has entered a new stage, from a declarative
one, to which everybody listened, to an active one, in keeping with
promises made ahead of January's parliamentary elections, he
said.
Especially welcome has been the news of the extradition of Mladen
Naletilic Tuta to the war crimes tribunal in The Hague which, the
minister says, "many saw as convincing proof that the government
was fulfilling its promises."
Picula believes the OSCE Permanent Council session in a certain way
has been a political watershed because, he said, the fact that
OSCE's Mission to Croatia was extended with agreement and at the
recommendation of both sides testified to the international
community's new conception of Croatia as a partner in resolving
many regional issues.
"I think the European Union as of today is far more willing to assist
Croatia in the realisation of joint ambitions," the foreign
minister said, adding this primarily referred to the stabilisation
of the wider region through Croatia.
Asked if he expected Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina at impending
local elections would opt in a greater measure for a different ratio
of political forces, in the wake of changes in Croatia, Picula said
he could not predict the success of elections in another country.
"It would be good if Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina evaluated whether
they will benefit from casting their ballot in support of a
political monopoly which has been ongoing for years, the one which
Croats in Croatia have renounced," the minister said.
The press conference marked the end of Picula's two-day working
visit to Vienna.
(hina) ha jn