Merten said that during his term in Zagreb, he would work on further strengthening political ties as well as intensifying economic relations between Croatia and the US.
We want to support Croatia's attempts to strengthen the business climate so as to attract more investment and increase growth, becoming a model for the other countries in the region, he said.
Josipovic said he was pleased with the strengthening of Croatian-US relations, thanking the U.S. for the support it was giving Croatia on the road to European Union membership.
Receiving his credentials from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Merten said Croatian governments should be congratulated on the adoption of some tough, but eventually good decisions over the past 15 years. The result of that is Croatia in the heart of Europe, a key member of the transatlantic community, he said on that occasion.