The US official said that Sanader's leadership was highly appreciated and added that US-Croatia talks next week would focus on bilateral issues, regional cooperation, membership of NATO, Croatia's participation in the NATO mission in Afghanistan and US investments in Croatia.
On Tuesday Sanader will hold separate meetings with US President George W. Bush and Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and the day before with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Croatia-US relations are better than ever. The arrest of Ante Gotovina has removed the last obstacle and I see no more obstacles to Croatia's future as a member of the Euro-Atlantic community and its institutions. Croatia's destiny is in its own hands, Fried said in a comment on the evident improvement of bilateral relations this year, after the Croatian government solved the problem of cooperation with the Hague war crimes tribunal.
Fried added that Washington appreciated what PM Sanader had done to turn Croatia and his party towards the future.
The US greatly appreciates Croatia's contribution in Afghanistan, he said, supporting Croatia's readiness to join other European countries and the US in dealing with global problems.
As for Croatia's integration with NATO, Fried expressed hope that the Croatian public would provide significant support for the country's membership of NATO.
Asked if the two sides would discuss an agreement on free trade in the region, Fried said that the US was interested in Sanader's opinion on that issue, but that this issue was connected with the WTO and the process of EU enlargement.
Speaking of direct US investments in the region, which in the past 15 years exceeded four billion USD, Fried said that Barr's acquisition of the Croatian drug company Pliva was "big news" and the biggest single US investment in the region.
He said that the recent lifting of a ban on US military assistance to Croatia in the segment of military training was a step in the right direction.
Asked if an agreement on the non-extradition of US soldiers to the International Criminal Court was still on the agenda, although no longer a priority, Fried answered affirmatively.
The US would like to conclude an agreement in line with Article 98, Fried said, recalling that PM Sanader had promised during the election campaign that he would sign the agreement.
Speaking about stability in Southeast Europe, Fried said that settling the problem of Kosovo's status would not be easy and that Serbia would have to be integrated with Europe. All countries in the region and European countries must cooperate in that process for the sake of greater stability, democracy and prosperity of all involved parties. Croatia can help in that process, by talking with Serbia and helping Bosnia-Herzegovina strengthen its statehood, the US official said.