ZAGREB, June 14 (Hina) - individuality, equality and transparency are three principles of the Stability pact for the south-east of Europe, which is not a final document, but a frame for an interactive cooperation process of the region
with the European Union and the international community, Croatian Assistant Foreign Minister Vladimir Drobnjak said in Zagreb on Monday. At a briefing for reporters, which was also attended by Assistant Foreign Minister Josip Paro, Drobnjak said the importance of the pact was confirmed by the number of countries and organisations taking part in it, as well as the fact that Switzerland forwarded an official note, requesting access into the Pact. "What is interesting to all countries in the Pact, including Switzerland, is its comprehensiveness," which equally depends on economy, security and democracy, Drobnjak said. He dismissed all doubts about whether the Pact imposed to
ZAGREB, June 14 (Hina) - individuality, equality and transparency
are three principles of the Stability pact for the south-east of
Europe, which is not a final document, but a frame for an
interactive cooperation process of the region with the European
Union and the international community, Croatian Assistant Foreign
Minister Vladimir Drobnjak said in Zagreb on Monday.
At a briefing for reporters, which was also attended by Assistant
Foreign Minister Josip Paro, Drobnjak said the importance of the
pact was confirmed by the number of countries and organisations
taking part in it, as well as the fact that Switzerland forwarded an
official note, requesting access into the Pact.
"What is interesting to all countries in the Pact, including
Switzerland, is its comprehensiveness," which equally depends on
economy, security and democracy, Drobnjak said.
He dismissed all doubts about whether the Pact imposed to member-
countries some "organisational and political frames", pointing to
item 8 of the Pact which confirms the inalienable right of every
participant country to freely choose or change its security
arrangements, including alliance agreements.
Croatia has always opposed various initiatives which could impose
alliances against its will, an had it not done so, "it is doubtful
that the Pact such as it today would occur at all," Drobnjak said.
The Pact is special because, in its clearly defined Euro-Atlantic
orientation, access to Euro-Atlantic associations are greatly made
easier in the case of fulfilling set conditions.
Failing to fulfil the pact provisions does not result in
punishment, "but nothing is gained by that," the assistants to the
Croatian foreign minister told reporters.
"Every country (of the south-east of Europe) is participating in
the Pact, except Yugoslavia, so it is very clear what not
participating means," Paro said.
Even Montenegro is indirectly counting on the pact, so Milosevic is
the only one not allowed access, Drobnjak said.
Asked about a possible likeness of the Pact to EU's regional
approach, Drobnjak and Paro said these were "two completely
different things".
The regional approach is now significantly "softened, incorporated
into a wider dimension," because the Pact represents a two-way
interactive process between Europe's south-east and the EU, which
is also visible in the fact that countries it pertains to actively
participated in its drafting, including Croatia which received
many commendations for its active part, Paro said.
As the Security Council in its resolution asked all countries to
provide all the help they can, Croatia, as a member of the UN, is
considering taking part in the civil mission in Kosovo, but, also
considering the sensitiveness of the issue and Croatia's wish to
continue contributing to the stability of the region in the best way
possible, it is still premature to speak about such an engagement,
Drobnjak said in reply to a reporter's question.
(hina) lml jn