CROATIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S. TESTIFIED BEFORE THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

The Vilnius group Ambassadors testified on Subcommittee on Europe hearing, NATO Enlargement: A View from the Candidate Countries

 

Washington DC, May 1, 2002 – Dr. Ivan Grdesic, Ambassador of Croatia to the United States, expressed today the Croatian views on NATO enlargement during the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on International Relations Subcommittee for Europe.

"As a newly independent state, Croatia did not have the burden of the Communist style army, but rather established its armed forces modeled on the NATO principles. Faced with Communist Yugoslav army aggression in the early 1990s, Croatia demonstrated its military and strategic capabilities to defend itself and win the war", said Grdesic.

 

"In the aftermath of September 11, Croatia demonstrated its commitment to act as a de facto ally of the United States, defending the values shared by the democratic world", said Grdesic and continued, "The threat of global insecurity that emerged after September 11 has taught us clearly that it is necessary to expand the institutional framework of mutual cooperation. All NATO aspirant countries expect to contribute and participate in the process of building a safe, free and democratic Europe. There is no place for new division lines in Europe".

 

"Croatia welcomes the approach that would stimulate and award individual performances of every NATO aspirant. All countries that follow the path of irreversible democracy and commitment to share the common values of freedom have the potential to contribute to the regional and global stability. Croatia is aware that NATO membership is conditioned by strict criteria which brings additional costs and responsibilities. An admission to the Membership Action Plan, that we expect to be approved at the Reykjavik NATO Ministerial in May 2002, would allow Croatia to advance preparations for the Alliance and be recognized as a credible candidate for the post-Prague round of enlargement, said Grdesic and continued: In the period after the Prague summit, Croatia will be strongly committed to a NATO open-door policy and encourage the strengthening of institutional links with all countries that share the common vision of security, cooperation, and solidarity as the principles of the North Atlantic Alliance", said Grdesic.

 

This hearing was the first opportunity for the Republic of Croatia and other V-10 countries to voice their will and readiness to join NATO in front of both U. S. House of Representatives as well as the American public. The other V-10 Ambassadors testified as well. The V10 comprises Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

 

 

The next key-V-10 event to take place in 2002 is the V-10 meeting during the Speakers and Presidents of the Euroepan parliamentary assemblies conference in Zagreb, Croatia, May 10-11. Croatia is expected to join NATO’s Membership Action Plan at NATO Foreign ministers meeting at Reykjavik, Iceland, May 13-16.

 

The Vilnius Group process was launched in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, in May 2000, when the foreign ministers of the countries aspiring to join NATO gathered for the first time in the context of the alliance's enlargement to express mutual support and solidarity and signed the Statement from Vilnius. Croatia joined the Vilnius Group at the first prime ministerial meeting in Bratislava in May 2001 and is being an active member ever since.