CROATIAN PRIME MINISTER: VISIT TO US CONFIRMS GOOD RELATIONS

 

Zagreb, June 4 – The visit to the United States will be the confirmation of the development of good relations with Croatia and will have both a bilateral and multilateral character, Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan said in Zagreb on Tuesday, ahead of his nine-day visit to Washington and New York.

Speaking at a news conference, Racan said the government described his visit to the U.S. as significant and added that the political, economic and security cooperation would be discussed during talks with senior U.S. officials.

Numerous multilateral issues will be discussed during the visit to New York and talks with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Also scheduled to take place is a working lunch with representatives of U.S. companies. The lunch, organised by the U.S. Chamber of Trade, will contribute to the strengthening of the countries’ bilateral relations, Racan said.

 

PRESIDENT BUSH MEETS WITH CROATIAN PRIME MINISTER RACAN

Washington, June 6 – The president of the United States, George W. Bush, met with Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan who before that held talks with the U.S. President’s Advisor for National Security, Condoleezza Rice.

After the 30-minute talks with the U.S. President in the Oval Office, Racan told reporters in front of the White House that President Bush supported Croatia’s strategic orientation towards Euro-Atlantic associations and the establishment of democracy. According to Racan, Bush positively assessed Croatia’s contribution to the overall stability in the region.

"It is not my place to say everything that President Bush  talked about, but he expressed his desire for continued contributions to diminishing tensions and preventing future conflicts in the world", Racan said.

The Bush-Racan talks also focused on the joint fight against terrorism. Racan said he told Bush that Croatia is particularly interested in contributing to the war on terrorists because "Croatia  is in the part of the world which is exposed to the threats of organized crime, weapons, drugs and people smuggling", Racan said.

The U.S. President believes Croatia is helping the stability and contributing to the prevention of conflicts in the world.

Racan said he informed the U.S. President of Croatia’s concrete contribution to the global anti-terrorist coalition.

"Croatia has the support of the United States to join NATO. The United States also supported Croatia before it joined the Membership Action Plan", Racan said.

Racan and Bush expressed wish to promote the two countries’ relations and expand cooperation, particularly in economy.

The prime minister said he also used the meeting to salute Bush for the U.S.-led war on terrorism and a new nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia. "Croatia supports the cooperation between the United States and Russia and considers it a significant contribution to the struggle for peace in the world", Racan said.

BUSH THANKS CROATIAN PRIME MINISTER RACAN FOR CROATIAN SHARE IN COMBATING TERRORISM

Washington, June 6 – During talks with Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan, the President of the United States, George W. Bush, thanked Croatia for its participation in the anti-terrorist coalition, spokesman for the U.S. Council for National Security, Sean McCormack said in a special statement.

President Bush positively evaluated the constructive role that Croatia has in Southeast Europe particularly with regard to Bosnia-Herzegovina, McCormack added.

President Bush welcomed Croatia’s determination to implement vital reforms so that it could join the European Union as well as its recent association to the Membership Action Plan that NATO formulated to help aspiring countries prepare for the possibility of joining NATO.

Racan said he expressed to Bush his admiration for the Alliance, Croatia’s interest in joining and full support for the membership action plan. Bush praised Croatia’s decision to participate in the plan, McCormack said.

 

 

 

 

CROATIAN PRIME MINISTER RACAN AND US SECRETARY OF STATE POWELL ON PREVLAKA ISSUE

WASHINGTON, June 5 – Croatia has received strong support from U.S. congressmen for its policy and contribution to security, as well as for its participation in the anti-terrorist coalition and measures undertaken to join NATO, Prime Minister Ivica Racan said in Washington on Wednesday.

Racan today held separate meetings with Senators John McCain (R, Arizona) and George Voinovich (R, Ohio), and Congressman George Radanovich (R, California).

McCain said relations between Croatia and the United States were excellent. He emphasized Croatia’s role in the global anti-terrorist coalition and in the building of peace and stability in the region.

Senators McCain and Voinovich are co-sponsors of a Senate resolution adopted on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of Croatia’s recognition by the United States.

We are glad that the United States recognizes Croatia’s role in the region and the world, Racan said, adding that the opinion of the US Senate, as well as of the US judicial authority, was exceptionally important with regard to admission to NATO.

Congressman Radanovich, who, like Senator Voinovich, is of Croat origin, said that as a Croat American he was pleased to say that Croatia’s star was rising.

Radanovich said that relations between the two countries were excellent, and announced that the Congress’s House of Representatives would soon adopt a special declaration to mark the ten years of US-Croatia relations.

Prime Minister Racan continued his official visit to the United States with a working lunch, organized by the U.S. Chamber of Trade and the ExIm bank.

US SENATE ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON CROATIA

WASHINGTON, June 5 – The U.S. Senate unanimously adopted a resolution commending Croatia for the significant progress it has made in the development of democracy, human rights, the rule-of-law, and free market economy. The resolution was adopted on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of Croatia’s recognition by the United States.

The resolution was jointly proposed by Senators John McCain (R, Arizona), Richard Durbin (D, Illinois), Joseph Lieberman (D, Connecticut), George Voinovich (R, Ohio) and Joseph Biden (D, Delaware).

 

 

 

CROATIAN PRIME MINISTER RACAN AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER PICULA VISIT WOODROW WILSON CENTRE

Washington, June 6 – Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan and Foreign Affairs Minister Tonino Picula were guests at the Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington where they spoke about Croatia and Euro-Atlantic associations.

Their host, the director of the European program, Martin Sletzinger, informed them about the work of the centre, one of the most important non-governmental institutions in the U.S. dealing with research on social trends, foreign policy and history.

The Croatian representatives also talked with the center’s director, Lee Hamilton, who was a prominent member of the Congress for more than 30 years.

 

 

CROATIAN DELEGATION AND US OFFICIALS DISCUSS DEFENSE, JUDICIARY

Washington, June 7 – Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan held talks with U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz in Washington discussing U.S.-Croatian cooperation in justice and defense.

Informing Ashcroft about plans to reform the Croatian judiciary, Racan said he would propose an integral reform plan that tackles every segment of the judiciary and aims at increasing efficiency, legal security, and the rule-of-law, at a meeting with senior Croatian officials later next week.

Racan and Ashcroft also discussed possible forms of U.S.-Croatian cooperation in combating terrorism and organized crime. Given that the United States Justice Department includes the FBI, the American experience may be of great use to Croatia, particularly for the activity of the Croatian Office for the Prevention of Corruption and Organized Crime.

Racan’s meeting with Deputy Defense Secretary Wolfowitz at the Pentagon confirmed the U.S. support to Croatia’s access to NATO.

The Croatian PM said he would like cooperation in the education and training of Croatian officers in the U.S. to expand as it would bring the Croatian army in direct contact with NATO standards.

Racan told reporters he and Wolfowitz also discussed assistance in the guarding of the land and sea borders. This topic will be discussed further in about ten days, when Croatian Defense Minister Jozo Rados is to visit Washington.

 

 

RACAN, U.S. OFFICIALS ON EXPANDING ECONOMIC COOPERATION

Washington, June 8 – During talks with United States officials in Washington, Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan focused on economic issues.

Racan held talks with U.S. Secretary of Trade Donald Evans, State Under-Secretary in charge of economic issues Alan Larson and directors of the Croatian components in the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, Onno de Beaufort Wijnholds and Pieter Stek.

Racan expressed satisfaction with the talks and announced that competent ministries would agree on the expansion of the two countries’ economic cooperation and the cooperation with international financial institutions.

Croatia does not accept the fact that the U.S. is eight on the list of Croatia’s trade partners, particularly because the two countries’ economic relations can enable better economic cooperation, Racan said. The U.S. administration gave a sign to the business world that Croatia is not only a reliable political partner, but also a worthy economic partner, the prime minister said.

The meeting with Wijnholds and Stek was an opportunity to discuss new projects in Croatia which could be interesting to the World Bank.

Racan also met a group of Croatian Americans.