ZAGREB, June 4 (Hina) - Croatia has achieved much in the reconstruction of society after the war and has achieved progress in numerous areas, but in some very important areas, progress has not been achieved, chairman of the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and Norwegian Foreign Minister, Knut Vollebaek, said in Zagreb on Friday at a news conference which ended his one-day visit to Croatia. During his visit Vollebaek met Croatia's highest officials -- President Franjo Tudjman, Foreign Minister Mate Granic, and representatives of independent media and the Serb minority. During the talks "I have raised several questions, particularly relating to the elections, the refugee return and the democratisation of the media," Vollebaek said. The goal of the OSCE Mission in Croatia is to assist Croatian authorities to monitor the fulfilment of Croatia's international obligations and commitments
ZAGREB, June 4 (Hina) - Croatia has achieved much in the
reconstruction of society after the war and has achieved progress
in numerous areas, but in some very important areas, progress has
not been achieved, chairman of the Organisation for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and Norwegian Foreign Minister, Knut
Vollebaek, said in Zagreb on Friday at a news conference which ended
his one-day visit to Croatia.
During his visit Vollebaek met Croatia's highest officials --
President Franjo Tudjman, Foreign Minister Mate Granic, and
representatives of independent media and the Serb minority.
During the talks "I have raised several questions, particularly
relating to the elections, the refugee return and the
democratisation of the media," Vollebaek said.
The goal of the OSCE Mission in Croatia is to assist Croatian
authorities to monitor the fulfilment of Croatia's international
obligations and commitments the Government has made is areas such
as the protection of human rights, the rights of minorities and rule
of law so its ambitions to be integrated into European and Euro-
Atlantic institutions could be realised, he stressed.
Subsequent to the last OSCE report which was fairly critical, the
Croatian Government suggested further contacts should be
intensified and systematised in the hope that a stronger
cooperation would make possible the outstanding issues of concern
to be solved.
I think we should accept this offer and begin to closely cooperate,
Vollebaek stressed.
It is because of what Croatia has achieved so far that the progress
must continue, he said.
Vollebaek hailed an agreement reached by Croatian political
parties about the electoral law, describing it as "a step in the
right direction".
He also commended an agreement reached among the political parties
on amendments to the Law on Croatian Radio and Television (HRT),
saying it was "particularly important in the pre-election period so
as to ensure a fair media coverage of the election campaign".
"Amendments to the HRT Law are necessary so as to strengthen the
HRT's institutional autonomy and to ensure that it is free of
political pressure," Vollebaek said.
I believe Croatia could have a leading role in the region, as an
example of stability, he stressed.
In the light of events in Kosovo, it is very important for Croatia to
be an example in showing what it meant that all refugees can return,
with the solving of property issues, because it will be very
accentuated in Kosovo as well, Vollebaek said.
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