Minister Cannon Marks Anniversary of Croatia's Independence
(January 15, 2010)
The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement on the anniversary of the international recognition of Croatia:
“I am pleased to mark the 18th anniversary of the international recognition of Croatia. On January 15, 1992, Canada joined the EU and other countries in recognizing Croatia as an independent country.
“Croatia, having emerged from the terrible conflicts of the 1990s, has shown impressive progress on its path to full Euro-Atlantic integration. Canada strongly supported Croatia's NATO membership in 2009.
“Canada and Croatia enjoy very strong relations, built on shared values of democracy, the rule of law, and freedom and security. The Government of Canada lifted visa restrictions on Croatian nationals in 2009, and the intense exchange of high-level visits since 2006 has enabled solid and sustainable partnership between the two nations.”