NEW YORK, Sept 25 (Hina) - The United States has understanding for Croatia's position on major contentious issues in their bilateral relations, namely conditions for its possible engagement in Iraq and signing of an agreement on
non-extradition of Americans to the International Criminal Court (ICC), Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula said in New York on Thursday.
NEW YORK, Sept 25 (Hina) - The United States has understanding for
Croatia's position on major contentious issues in their bilateral
relations, namely conditions for its possible engagement in Iraq
and signing of an agreement on non-extradition of Americans to the
International Criminal Court (ICC), Croatian Foreign Minister
Tonino Picula said in New York on Thursday. #L#
Picula held talks with the U.S. Under-secretary for Political
Affairs, Marc Grossman, on prospects of the deployment of Croatian
troops in Iraq and on the agreement on non-extradition of U.S.
nationals to the recently-established ICC.
Washington is trying to pool as many countries that may help Iraq as
possible, while Croatia makes its engagement in Iraq conditional on
a resolution which would be adopted by the UN Security Council.
As regards the non-extradition agreement, Washington insists on
its conclusion, while Croatia rejects such an agreement but offers
other kinds of treaties that could meet the request of the United
States on the matter.
"On behalf of the United States, its Under-secretary for Political
Affairs showed understanding for Croatia's position on the said
issues," Picula told Croatian reporters after his 40-minute
meeting with Grossman.
Picula told the U.S. official that his country had postponed the
decision on sending its soldiers to Iraq, and Grossman told him that
a new resolution would open up possibilities for Croatia and other
countries to reconsider plans about deployment of their
contingents.
According to the Croatian minister, as regards the agreement on
non-extradition of Americans to the ICC, Grossman said that the
consultations on the matter should continue.
Earlier in Zagreb, Minister Picula has presented Croatia's views on
the non-extradition agreement in a sort of non-paper.
"They have taken it into consideration and experts should continue
talks," the Croatian official added.
Commenting on speculations in Croatia that the State Department
exerted pressure on President Stjepan Mesic while he was in New York
this week in order to persuade him to accept the non-extradition
deal, Minster Picula refuted it saying that "that all those
allegations ... are absolutely untrue".
Picula and Grossman also discussed the situation in south-eastern
Europe and upcoming parliamentary elections in Croatia.
According to Picula, Grossman clearly stressed that his country was
appreciating Croatia's role in south-eastern Europe.
Grossman told Picula that the United States was not planning to
leave the region because it viewed itself as a protagonist
assisting the elected authorities in completing the transition
process.
Picula said that it was in the common interest of the United States
and Croatia to cooperate in south-eastern Europe and that both
countries treated their military and security cooperation as a
pillar of bilateral relations.
The two countries are co-operating in other fields too, and are
currently working on an agreement on the energy sector, Picula told
Croatian reporters in New York.
This week's visit of Croatia's delegation led by President Stjepan
Mesic to the UN in New York marked the beginning of a campaign for
the election of Croatia as a rotating member in the Security Council
in 2008 and 2009.
Minister Picula wrapped up his visit to New York with the talks with
Grossman on Thursday.
(hina) ms