ZAGREB IS NOT DONORS' CONFERENCE - DROBNJAK ZAGREB, June 28 (Hina) - The regional conference on mines is not a donors' conference, but it is an occasion for pointing out the problem of mines in Croatia and for having more intensified
participation of the international community in solving the mine clearance problem, said an Assistant Foreign Minister, Vladimir Drobnjak at Monday's news conference, prepared by the Croatian Foreign Ministry which is a co-organiser of the three-day regional conference on land mines in Zagreb. Drobnjak added that Croatia confirmed its active role in the global process of mine removal by signing the 1997 Ottawa convention on the ban on usage, production and distribution of land mines and by organising this conference, which began today. He described the Ottawa convention as a historic act, as it was the first initiative which intends to achieve the total destruction of a certain kind of arms and not onl
ZAGREB, June 28 (Hina) - The regional conference on mines is not a
donors' conference, but it is an occasion for pointing out the
problem of mines in Croatia and for having more intensified
participation of the international community in solving the mine
clearance problem, said an Assistant Foreign Minister, Vladimir
Drobnjak at Monday's news conference, prepared by the Croatian
Foreign Ministry which is a co-organiser of the three-day regional
conference on land mines in Zagreb.
Drobnjak added that Croatia confirmed its active role in the global
process of mine removal by signing the 1997 Ottawa convention on the
ban on usage, production and distribution of land mines and by
organising this conference, which began today.
He described the Ottawa convention as a historic act, as it was the
first initiative which intends to achieve the total destruction of
a certain kind of arms and not only its limitation.
The Zagreb conference gathers representatives from 32 countries,
Drobnjak added.
Asked to give more details about a loan which Croatia asked from the
World Bank for the mine clearance, he answered that the Foreign
Ministry was not authorised to respond to such questions.
The Croatian official added that his country had so far financed
itself the removal of mines planted on Croatian soil in order to
enable the return of displaced people and economic recovery of war-
affected areas.
(hina) jn ms