RIGA, July 6 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Minister Jozo Rados said that a deadline of two years in which Croatia would fulfil all conditions for submitting its candidacy for full membership in NATO was "ambitious, but realistic".
RIGA, July 6 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Minister Jozo Rados said that
a deadline of two years in which Croatia would fulfil all conditions
for submitting its candidacy for full membership in NATO was
"ambitious, but realistic". #L#
Racan said this to reporters on the second day of a meeting of prime
ministers of countries aspiring for NATO, the Vilnius Group, in
Riga on Saturday. The Croatian delegation was led by Foreign
Minister Tonino Picula, but he left on Friday, after the first day
of the summit, because of obligations in Croatia.
"If we work well, if we decide that this is our strategic goal, and I
believe that it should be because it is not just tied to our aims
regarding NATO, but also to the democratisation of the country and
internal security, then we can achieve full military qualification
for NATO in a very short period of time," Rados said.
It is ambitious, but realistic that Croatia qualifies for NATO
within two years of the Membership Action Plan, he said.
Notwithstanding the economic situation in the country, the plan to
join NATO is feasible on the financial side, because "money is in
fact saved through reforms of the political and defence systems,"
Rados said.
"The sooner we implement the reforms, the earlier we will unfreeze
sufficient funds for other activities, and make the country
attractive for foreign capital," he said.
(hina) lml