Speaker of Croatian Parliament, Minister of Foreign Affairs Meet U.S. Secretary of State

Washington, January 22 – Speaker of Croatian Parliament Vladimir Seks and Minister of Foreign Affairs Miomir Zuzul met with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell in Washington today to discuss cooperation between Croatia and the United States and the U.S. support for Croatia's NATO membership.

The Croatian officials met the U.S. Secretary of State at the end of their five-day official visit to the USA, which they paid at the invitation of U.S. Congress. The purpose of the visit was to seek support for Croatia's fast admission into NATO.

Seks told reporters after the meeting that Powell supported Croatia's NATO membership. He also said the talks addressed Croatia's readiness to increase its contingent in Afghanistan. Croatia currently has a military police platoon in Afghanistan, which is taking part in the anti-terrorist coalition.

"We have concluded that we share the same position on almost all important issues," Minister of Foreign Affairs Zuzul said.

The Croatian delegation said that Croatia was committed to its partnership with the U.S. and appreciated the importance of the fight against terrorism, as well as the leading role of the U.S. in that area, Zuzul said.

The meeting also tackled the US request that Croatia sing an agreement on the non-extradition of U.S. citizens to the International Criminal Court and the Secretary of State suggested that Croatia ratify a memorandum on intellectual property with the United States as soon as possible.

Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader should soon visit the United States to hold talks on bilateral relations, including the outstanding issues, such as the agreement on the non-extradition of US citizens.

Seks and Zuzul were invited as honorary guests to President Bush’s annual address about the state of the Union. During the visit, Croatian officials met a number of members of Congress and Senate in an effort to win their support for Croatia's NATO membership as well as to have the House of Representatives and Senate consider a vote on a resolution supporting Croatia's NATO membership.

Congressman Henry Hyde, chairman of the House of Representatives' Committee on International Relations, promised to sponsor such a resolution in the House of Representatives. Hyde will soon visit Croatia at the helm of a Congress delegation to see how the country is preparing for NATO membership.