Croatian Officials Discuss NATO Membership with Congressmen, Senators

WASHINGTON, January 21- Speaker of Croatian Parliament Vladimir Seks and Minister of Foreign Affairs Miomir Zuzul met members of the U.S. Congress and Senate in Washington to discuss Croatia's admission to NATO. Minister Zuzul said after the talks they had met with understanding for Croatia's ambitions.

The Croatian officials met Congressmen Dana Rohrabacher and George Radanovich and Senators Jon Kyle and Richard Lugar, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

They also met Dan Fried, President George W. Bush's senior advisor on Europe at the National Security Council.

Zuzul told Croatian reporters the meetings were part of efforts to strengthen relations between Congress and the Croatian parliament and seek support for Croatia's admission to NATO.

"I believe that we have met with understanding," Zuzul said when asked about the bid to seek support for Croatia's admission to NATO.

The talks did not contain any critical tones on the part of U.S. officials, they focused on general conditions Croatia must meet to be admitted to NATO, such as development of democracy, civilian control of the army, and the treatment of minorities, Zuzul said.

Also discussed were specific conditions, but less than in talks with the European Union, he added.

"I believe that our hosts are aware of Croatia's determination to go in that direction and our commitment to seek support when we deserve it, and we believe that we do," he said.

Doug Bereuter, Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Europe of the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, told reporters that Croatia was moving in the right direction towards NATO.

Asked when Croatia could join the Alliance, Bereuter said Croatia could be one of the leading candidates in the next enlargement round if it continued making progress.

He said that in the next few months he would visit Croatia as chairman of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to see how Croatia was doing in meeting membership criteria.

Congresswoman Janice Schakowsky of Chicago said she would support Croatia's NATO bid.

Charles English, director of the Office for Central and South Europe of the State Department, which also covers Croatia, said the United States wanted to help Croatia meet criteria for membership in NATO and the European Union.

He said Croatia still had to do some things regarding the resolution of problems of the post-war period and cooperation with the UN war crimes tribunal.

The US Administration is confident that the new government of Prime Minister Ivo Sanader will have the political will to do this and is looking forward to cooperation with it, English said.