GRANIC: CROATIA SUPPORTS PARTNERSHIP AND SOLIDARITY IN EUROPE

OSLO, Dec 3 (Hina) - Croatia is committed to and supports the idea of partnership and solidarity as the principle leading to the common goal - security and stability in Europe, Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic said Thursday in a speech before the 7th Ministerial Council of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The meeting is being held in Oslo on December 2-3. Speaking at the Council's third and closing plenary session, Granic said that Croatia has embraced the idea of partnership and solidarity as the principle leading to the common goal - that of security in Europe. "Croatia remains committed to the norms and principles of the OSCE, dedicated to their promotion and implementation in all aspects and dimensions - human, security or economic". Having passed though a relatively short, but extremely violent war, we have gone though a long process of post-war transition, burdened at the same time with the task of another historic transition, the one from the non-democratic to a democratic and market-oriented society. "... already in less than twenty-four hours the International Conference on Reconstruction and Development of Croatia will start in Zagreb. I would like once again to extend my most cordial invitation to all around this table to actively participate and support this Conference. Through this Conference, we are not just seeking assistance in our efforts, we are offering that partnership that has been mentioned so often during our meeting", the Foreign Minister said. Partnership and cooperation between the international community and Croatia and its full integration into European economic, political and security processes and structures is a guarantee of Croatia's stability, Granic said. Croatia attaches great importance to all agreements that contribute to the confidence and security building, promote good- neighbourly relations, enhance transparency, regulate standards of behaviour and control, as well as reduce levels of armament. "In that regard, the recently signed bilateral agreements with Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the Port of Ploce and Neum, as well as the Agreement on Special Relations with the Federation of Bosnia- Herzegovina, represent a decisive step towards fully regulating relations between two sovereign states and enhancing stability in the region. We continue our efforts to reach solutions for few remaining open issues with our neighbours; for instance, with Slovenia on Piran Bay and other, as well as with FRY on the issue of Prevlaka". Croatia also attaches great importance to the results achieved in the implementation of the section of the Dayton agreement concerning sub-regional arms control. It welcomes the forthcoming talks on regional arms control and is ready to participate in them actively and constructively. On behalf of Croatia, as one of the first states that have ratified the Ottawa Convention on the Ban of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Members Landmines and on their Destruction, Granic urged all states, which have not yet ratified the Convention, to do so as soon as possible, and thus further contribute to the overall security and stability in the OSCE area. He also called on OSCE member-states which have not signed the Aarhus Convention (on environmental protection and development of civil society) to do so. (hina) jn rml