ZAGREB, July 13 (Hina) - Problems which have been burdening, over a number of years, the relations between the international community and Croatia have not yet been removed and the way in which they will be solved is to be of the
crucial importance for the future of these ties, said State Minister in the British Foreign Office, Anthony Lloyd, in Zagreb on Tuesday. Concerns which have dominated the relationship between the international community and Croatia over a number of years are still present and Croatia has to address them, Lloyd told a news conference held after the end of his two-day visit to Zagreb where he had met Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic, Minister for European Integration, Ljerka Mintas Hodak, Defence Minister Pavao Miljavac and opposition representatives.
ZAGREB, July 13 (Hina) - Problems which have been burdening, over a
number of years, the relations between the international community
and Croatia have not yet been removed and the way in which they will
be solved is to be of the crucial importance for the future of these
ties, said State Minister in the British Foreign Office, Anthony
Lloyd, in Zagreb on Tuesday.
Concerns which have dominated the relationship between the
international community and Croatia over a number of years are
still present and Croatia has to address them, Lloyd told a news
conference held after the end of his two-day visit to Zagreb where
he had met Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic, Minister for
European Integration, Ljerka Mintas Hodak, Defence Minister Pavao
Miljavac and opposition representatives. #L#
These concerns referred specifically to commitments which Croatia
promised to fulfil when it was admitted to the Council of Europe and
they were the process of democratisation of society, the conduct of
reforms of the media and election laws, the return of refugees and
the cooperation with the International War Crimes Tribunal (ICTY),
the British diplomat added.
The relationship between Croatia and the rest of Europe will
crucially depend on the way how Croatia will solve these problems,
he stressed.
The question of the election is not hypothetical, as it is not going
to be held in 2002 or 2003 but in a few months' time, the Briton
said.
Talks on this issue must be led in coming days and weeks and a
solution must be found within that period, or Europe will be forced
to make its own conclusions. Time is ticking away, he added.
Commenting on the media the British diplomat said "the present
control of the electronic media, particularly of television, means
that there isn't equal access to all political views."
It is the same case in terms of election law which must be amended in
order that ordinary people in Croatia "can exercise their
democratic choice so that it is the people who become sovereign in a
democratic process," Lloyd said.
The problem of a too slow return of refugees can be noticed in the
entire region and not only in Croatia, but it could be solved with a
little more political will and it is what the international
community expects, he told reporters.
These are not arbitrary demands which we have set temporarily but
those are things to which Croatia has committed itself and we remind
the country that it's time it fulfilled them, the Briton said.
His talks with Croatian officials revolved very much around the
Stability Pact. According to the British official, "the Stability
Pact offers new opportunities" as it is the general stand that the
stability in this whole region can be reached by a process which
refers to the whole region, he explained.
It is the also the fact that the Stability Pact itself will see to
maximise its benefits to those countries which are determined to
make the maximum progress themselves, Lloyd said adding it will be a
chance for Croatia if it meets above mentioned obligations.
Lloyd and Croatian Defence Minister Miljavac discussed the
regional security and Croatia's role during NATO's operation in
Kosovo.
Such conduct of Croatia has been warmly welcomed by NATO member-
states, but it is still expected from Croatia to continue playing a
constructive role in the stabilisation of the entire region, the
British official told reporters.
(hina) ms