ZAGREB, Sept 22 (Hina) - Croatia's Government on Wednesday handed over to the OSCE mission in Zagreb a "White Paper" containing response of relevant ministries to weekly reports of this mission on Croatia's progress in meeting its
international obligations. On behalf of the Government, Premier Zlatko Matesa gave the White Paper to the head of the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) mission in Croatia, Bernard Poncet. Today the Government forwarded to the OSCE mission this document, "White Paper 3" which includes all reactions and views of certain ministries of the Government upon weekly reports of the OSCE mission, said Tomislav Vidosevic, the head of the Government's Office for the Cooperation with OSCE after the Matesa-Ponchet meeting in Zagreb. It covers issues that continuously attract the attention of the OSCE mission ... and we are expecting an objective survey of the situat
ZAGREB, Sept 22 (Hina) - Croatia's Government on Wednesday handed
over to the OSCE mission in Zagreb a "White Paper" containing
response of relevant ministries to weekly reports of this mission
on Croatia's progress in meeting its international obligations.
On behalf of the Government, Premier Zlatko Matesa gave the White
Paper to the head of the OSCE (Organisation for Security and
Cooperation in Europe) mission in Croatia, Bernard Poncet.
Today the Government forwarded to the OSCE mission this document,
"White Paper 3" which includes all reactions and views of certain
ministries of the Government upon weekly reports of the OSCE
mission, said Tomislav Vidosevic, the head of the Government's
Office for the Cooperation with OSCE after the Matesa-Ponchet
meeting in Zagreb.
It covers issues that continuously attract the attention of the
OSCE mission ... and we are expecting an objective survey of the
situation in the coming "Progress Report", about which today's
talks revolved mainly, Vidosevic told reporters commenting on a new
quarterly report on Croatia's progress in fulfilling its
international obligations. This report will be presented by
Ambassador Poncet before the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on
September 28.
Although Croatia is expecting that what has been today discussed
and what is in the White Paper will be respected by the Progress
Report, this document does not oblige the OSCE mission members in
view to their opinion on the situation in Croatia and its progress.
Ambassador Poncet reiterated that his talks with Croatian Premier
had revolved around the coming "Progress Report".
Regarding the White Paper Poncet said he could not guarantee that
expressed remarks in that document could be respected to the extent
they deserve, in the Progress Report, due to the volume of the
document which has about fifty pages and due to a short period until
the release of the "Progress Report".
Our Croatian friends have already known that a report on Croatia's
progress should appear on September 28, and evidently we do not have
enough time to study that Croatian document, the OSCE
representative told reporters.
Asked by a Hina journalist whether it means that Croatia failed to
deliver the White Paper on time, Ponchet said Croatians were not
late, but the fact is that one should understand that it is
impossible to seriously analyse a fifty-page-document presented
six days before the issuing of the Progress Report.
Ponchet added that Croatian authorities had had a chance to respond
to weekly reports of the OSCE mission which serve as a base for the
preparation of a quarterly report, but so far they have given just
one remark after one (weekly) report, and it is encouraging.
Ponchet told reporters that he had promised to Matesa that the
mission would do its best to include in the report for Vienna if
anything exceptionally important happened in the remaining days.
The OSCE representative declined to comment on announcements that
the Progress Report would be very negative for Croatia.
(hina) ms