WASHINGTON, Dec 22 (Hina) - One of the goals of Croatia's foreign +policy in 1999 will be a significant advancement of relations with +the United States, Croatian Ambassador to the U.S. Miomir Zuzul +told reporters in Washington on
Monday.+ Zuzul assessed there were no open problems in bilateral relations +between the two countries, pointing out that neither the situation +in neighbouring Bosnia-Herzegovina was a strain to the relations +any longer.+ The Ambassador said Croatia believed and wanted to elevate +relations with the U.S. to a new level in a relatively short period +of time.+ This would mean a significant step forward in political, economic, +and especially military relations, he added.+ Even though he did not give details with regard to deadlines, Zuzul +hoped some agreements might be reached ahead of a NATO summit in +Washington in late April.+ Once an agree
WASHINGTON, Dec 22 (Hina) - One of the goals of Croatia's foreign
policy in 1999 will be a significant advancement of relations with
the United States, Croatian Ambassador to the U.S. Miomir Zuzul
told reporters in Washington on Monday.
Zuzul assessed there were no open problems in bilateral relations
between the two countries, pointing out that neither the situation
in neighbouring Bosnia-Herzegovina was a strain to the relations
any longer.
The Ambassador said Croatia believed and wanted to elevate
relations with the U.S. to a new level in a relatively short period
of time.
This would mean a significant step forward in political, economic,
and especially military relations, he added.
Even though he did not give details with regard to deadlines, Zuzul
hoped some agreements might be reached ahead of a NATO summit in
Washington in late April.
Once an agreement is reached on the significant elements of
Croatian-American relations, an agreement imbuing them with a new
quality, the wish, according to Zuzul, is for the Croatian
President to officially visit the U.S.
Speaking about Croatian-U.S. relations as a whole, he said they
were passing through a normal phase of ups and downs.
The American side continues to pose two questions: the freedom of
the media, in particular Croatian-Radio Television performance,
and changes to the electoral law.
Zuzul hoped the causes for American, as well as Western European
objections would be eliminated.
He said Croatia was committed and aspired to European and Euro-
Atlantic rapprochement which, he added, was in Croatia's all-round
long-term interest.
Zuzul said NATO's Partnership for Peace programme was now
realistically within reach, but also warned Croatia must watch out
not to miss the opportunity to access the European Union.
U.S. support in these goals and in Croatia's access to the World
Trade Organisation would be a watershed as it would motivate other
countries as well, Zuzul told reporters.
(hina) ha mm