ZAGREB, Feb 16 (Hina) - Croatia's Ambassador to the European Union (EU) on Tuesday held a lecture in Zagreb on the regional approach to the EU. With its regional approach, the EU wants to "debalkanise and Europeanise the whole region
from Sutla River to the Black Sea, in which concept Croatia can have the important role of link between central Europe and the wider Balkans," Ambassador Janko Vranyczany-Dobrinovic said. Explaining the basic strategy of the so-called regional approach, he said the international community believed stabilisation in the region could be achieved only through reconciliation and economic development, i.e. through wider regional cooperation. This cooperation will set the foundations for the future European architecture of the entire region, he added. Today's lecture is one in a series of lectures organised by the Croatian government's Office for European Integrat
ZAGREB, Feb 16 (Hina) - Croatia's Ambassador to the European Union
(EU) on Tuesday held a lecture in Zagreb on the regional approach to
the EU.
With its regional approach, the EU wants to "debalkanise and
Europeanise the whole region from Sutla River to the Black Sea, in
which concept Croatia can have the important role of link between
central Europe and the wider Balkans," Ambassador Janko
Vranyczany-Dobrinovic said.
Explaining the basic strategy of the so-called regional approach,
he said the international community believed stabilisation in the
region could be achieved only through reconciliation and economic
development, i.e. through wider regional cooperation.
This cooperation will set the foundations for the future European
architecture of the entire region, he added.
Today's lecture is one in a series of lectures organised by the
Croatian government's Office for European Integration.
Vranyczany-Dobrinovic said Croatia was included in the area
between the Sutla and the Black Sea not for civilisational reasons,
but because of "its long half-circle borderline with the Balkans'
Bosnia-Herzegovina , the specific role of its port of Ploce, the
direct borderline with Serbia and Montenegro, and ultimately
because it is a signatory to and guarantor of the Dayton (peace)
agreement."
This need not be viewed as the creation of a new Yugoslavia, he said,
adding "Croatia's rhetoric about that danger is more for internal
than for foreign policy use."
The ambassador said Croatia objected to the regional approach
because as a sovereign country, member of the United Nations and the
Council of Europe, it was not allowed to make its own choice of
"preferential partners" but had them imposed from above.
Vranyczany-Dobrinovic however believes it is improbable the
international community will abandon the regional approach
concept. On the other hand, he does not exclude the possibility of a
more flexible application of the concept for certain countries.
The initial sympathies for Croatia, especially for the courageous
defence in the Homeland War, have gradually disappeared, primarily
among Croatian allies in Germany, and turned into disappointment
and growing criticism.
This happened because "some believe an authoritarian, one-party
regime, hard to accept for Euro-Atlantic concepts, has been
introduced in Croatia, and also because of the course of Croatian
policy in Bosnia-Herzegovina," the ambassador said.
Croatia must avoid isolationism, must send strong messages to
correct such views, he believes.
Croatia, the ambassador added, must comply with obligations taken
upon entering the Council of Europe, obligations regarding
compliance with peace agreements, the return of refugees,
cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the
Former Yugoslavia, cooperation with neighbouring countries, and
change electoral legislation and legislation regarding Croatian
Radio-Television.
Vranyczany-Dobrinovic said the new European Commission report in
April will reiterate the already standard and routine assessment
that Croatia has not made the requested steps forward in complying
with the said obligations.
There are indications however that Croatia might receive some form
of assistance besides the extant PHARE programme, he concluded.
(hina) ha jn