BUDAPEST, May 7 (Hina) - The Croatian government is willing to play an active role in the post-conflict period in Kosovo, Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic told a Council of Europe Council of Ministers conference in Budapest on
Friday. Granic appealed to the participants in the conference to assist in the release of Croatian journalist Antun Masle, who was arrested by Yugoslav military authorities while on duty and is now imprisoned in Montenegrin capital Podgorica. The Croatian government has given full support to NATO's resolute action against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia following the failure of all diplomatic solutions regarding the Kosovo issue, Granic told the Council of Ministers' 104th session. Croatia has once again demonstrated its solidarity and proved its role as a factor of stability in the region, the foreign minister said, pointing out EUR2.25 m
BUDAPEST, May 7 (Hina) - The Croatian government is willing to play
an active role in the post-conflict period in Kosovo, Croatian
Foreign Minister Mate Granic told a Council of Europe Council of
Ministers conference in Budapest on Friday.
Granic appealed to the participants in the conference to assist in
the release of Croatian journalist Antun Masle, who was arrested by
Yugoslav military authorities while on duty and is now imprisoned
in Montenegrin capital Podgorica.
The Croatian government has given full support to NATO's resolute
action against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia following the
failure of all diplomatic solutions regarding the Kosovo issue,
Granic told the Council of Ministers' 104th session.
Croatia has once again demonstrated its solidarity and proved its
role as a factor of stability in the region, the foreign minister
said, pointing out EUR2.25 million of Croatian humanitarian relief
has gone to Kosovo Albanian refugees in Albania and Kosovo.
Croatia has also decided to accept for a certain period of time
between 3,000 and 5,000 Kosovar refugees, despite the fact that it
is still providing assistance for its own refugees and persons
displaced during the Serbian aggression earlier this decade.
The foreign minister also reminded that Croatia had consented to
have its air space, ground and ports used for the delivery of
humanitarian aid.
Emphasising that the Kosovo crisis was affecting all neighbouring
countries, Minister Granic said Croatia would also require a
greater financial and economic assistance at a time when its own
economy was facing objective difficulties.
Croatia is willing to play an active role in the post-conflict
period in Kosovo, and assist in the refugee return process, the
building of democratic institutions, and the implementation of
legislative reforms.
Minister Granic pointed to Croatia's willingness to continue
supporting the international community in creating regional
stability. In this respect, he welcomed the European Union
initiative to hold a meeting at which a stability pact for south-
eastern Europe would be reached.
(hina) ha jn