ZAGREB, Sept 2 (Hina) - The international community does not want rhetoric from Croatia but concrete steps in fulfilling its international obligations, Croatia's Ambassador at the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) in Vienna, Mario Nobilo, said on Thursday, following a session of the OSCE Permanent Council, which was addressed by the head of the OSCE Mission to Croatia, Bernard Poncet. Poncet took over his office in Croatia two and a half months ago and this was his first address to the Permanent Council, which on September 28 is to consider the new quarterly report of the OSCE Mission on Croatia's progress in fulfilling international obligations. Following Poncet's report, the session, which was held behind closed doors, discussed a series of questions including refugee return, the security situation in the Croatian Danube River region, Croatia's non-cooperation wi
ZAGREB, Sept 2 (Hina) - The international community does not want
rhetoric from Croatia but concrete steps in fulfilling its
international obligations, Croatia's Ambassador at the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in
Vienna, Mario Nobilo, said on Thursday, following a session of the
OSCE Permanent Council, which was addressed by the head of the OSCE
Mission to Croatia, Bernard Poncet.
Poncet took over his office in Croatia two and a half months ago and
this was his first address to the Permanent Council, which on
September 28 is to consider the new quarterly report of the OSCE
Mission on Croatia's progress in fulfilling international
obligations.
Following Poncet's report, the session, which was held behind
closed doors, discussed a series of questions including refugee
return, the security situation in the Croatian Danube River region,
Croatia's non-cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, as well as the
failure of the ruling party and the Opposition to reach a political
consensus regarding the election law and the law on Croatian Radio-
Television (HRT), Nobilo told Hina in a phone conversation,
commenting on Poncet's report.
The international community is demonstrating nervousness and
expects Croatia to adopt the election law, determine the election
date, and cooperate with the Hague Tribunal. Croatia has already
done many things but the international community expects it to do
more and at a faster pace because there is little time left until the
elections, Nobilo said.
According to Nobilo, this "race with time" is the cause of what is
believed to be the strongest pressure and most harsh criticism
directed against Croatia so far at the Council's session.
The main problems singled out by the international community at the
moment are the Diaspora vote, the vote of Croatian Serb refugees,
and the functioning of the media, especially Croatian Radio-
Television.
It is because of these three issues the international community
will exert most pressure and expect the most of Croatia, Nobilo
said. There is still time until September 28, but if no progress is
made until then, "we can expect another very negative report", he
said.
(hina) jn rml