FOREIGN MINISTRY ISSUES STATEMENT AHEAD OF UNITED NATIONS DAY

ZAGREB, Oct 23 (Hina) - "We celebrate the establishment of the UN by marking UN Day and take this opportunity to reiterate our commitment to the ideals and goals which are contained in the United Nations Charter," the Croatian Foreign Ministry said on Monday on the occasion of Oct. 24, United Nations Day. "After becoming a full-right member of the United Nations in 1992, the Republic of Croatia has been building its reputation within the UN family by fulfilling a variety of international commitments, respecting international standards, and by participating in the most demanding tasks of the umbrella world organisation," the ministry said in a statement. It reminds that since the beginning of this year, Croatia has been participating in the work of one of UN's chief bodies, the Economic and Social Council, and for the second consecutive year in a peacekeeping mission to Sierra Leone. "The United Nations organisation, as noticed by many heads of state at the recent Millennium Summit in New York, is not an ideal organisation, but it is the best one we have. If UN's numerous bodies and programmes did not operate, global issues would be bigger and the lives of many people harder," said the statement. (hina) ha jn