The United States is a superpower and talks with US President Bush and his secretaries are a big event for Croatia, Sanader told reporters after a reception organised on the occasion of Police Day.
The talks will also focus on Southeast Europe and the Balkans, where not all political issues have been solved. Croatia wants to play an active role and contribute to efforts by the international community to establish lasting political stability, which it is interested in also because of its borders, Sanader said.
Asked if relations with the USA have been neglected because of Croatia's orientation towards membership of the EU and the failure to send troops to Iraq and sign an agreement on the non-extradition of US nationals to the International Criminal Court, Sanader said this was not true and that Croatia was committed to Euro-Atlantic integration, which included both the EU and NATO, and that it had always advocated the transatlantic partnership of Europe and the USA.
Relations with the USA are constantly improving, however, the focus of the incumbent US Administration is not on this part of Europe, but on the Middle East, Iraq, Afghanistan and the fight against international terrorism, Sanader said.
The time of military interventions and establishment of peace in Bosnia, Kosovo and Serbia is over, although I believe that the United States should continue with its involvement, together with the EU, until lasting political stability is achieved and all outstanding issues solved, the PM said.