NATO FOREIGN MINISTERS CONFIRM CROATIA’S JOINING MAP
NATO foreign ministers and Partnership for Peace countries foreign ministers have met in Reykjavik, Iceland, for a two-day gathering, attended by the Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula, a key NATO meeting prior to the Prague summit in November that focuses on the extension of the alliance.
Reykjavik/Zagreb, May 14 – The foreign ministers of 19 NATO member-countries confirmed in Reykjavik on Tuesday Croatia’s emergence into NATO's Membership Action Plan (MAP) and recognized Croatia’s progress in reforms, strengthening partnership with NATO and its contributions to stability in the Balkans.
"NATO hails Croatia’s participation in MAP and calls on the country to submit its first Annual National Programme (ANP) this autumn", the NATO foreign ministers said in a statement.
MAP is a program that was established at NATO's Washington Summit in 1999, by which states-potential candidates aspiring to enter into this international organization prepare for becoming full members of NATO. It foresees the adjustment of political, economic, legislative, security and military standards and criteria to those of NATO member-countries.
Joining MAP, only two years after admission to the Partnership for Peace program, has promoted Croatia to the status of a candidate for full NATO membership. At least three year-cycles of implementing the MAP ANP will pass before Croatian submission of an official candidacy request, which is expected in the year 2005.
An official request for Croatia’s joining MAP was submitted by Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula during his visit to NATO in Bruxelles on May 8.
The NATO Foreign Ministers in Reykjavik also discussed the regulation of new partnership relations with Russia and the expansion and modernization of NATO.
"The decision of NATO’s Foreign Ministers to admit Croatia into the Membership Action Plan (MAP) encourages Croatia to maintain the process of reforms and do everything needed to meet the criteria for full NATO membership", Croatia’s Foreign Minister Tonino Picula said on Tuesday in Reykjavik.
"The NATO ministers have confirmed Croatia’s accession to MAP and acknowledged the progress achieved in reforms and partnership with NATO as well as its contributions to stability in the Balkans", Picula said.
The NATO Ministers welcome Croatia’s participation in MAP and call on Croatia to submit its first Annual National Programme (ANP) this autumn, a statement issued after today’s meeting of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) noted. Croatia has been given credit for its contribution to stability in the region and for making the most of opportunities offered by membership in the Partnership for Peace program, Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and the Intensive Dialogue program.
"This statement is a great
encouragement for Croatia to persevere in the process of reform within the army
and adapt so as to meet NATO membership criteria", Picula said and continued, "I will inform my colleagues of reforms conducted in the Croatian
army as well as political and economic activities and cooperation with
neighboring courtiers at the May 15th meeting of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership
Council".