Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Gordan Jandrokovic attended February 5th 2009 the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Brussels.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Gordan Jandrokovic attended February 5th 2009 the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Brussels.
The ministers discussed NATO operations in Afghanistan and Kosovo (ISAF, KFOR), relations with Russia, further strengthening and reform of the Alliance headquarters, and preparations for the Strasbourg/Kehl Summit.
Talking about Afghanistan, Minister Jandrokovic said that the situation there still presents a threat to global security. He pointed out that Croatia, though its engagement as a future NATO member, is taking on ever more demanding tasks, especially in the training of the Afghan army, which is one of ISAF's priority areas. He added that Croatia would continue to take part in the fight against international terrorism as the key threat to world peace.
In regard to the state of affairs in South Eastern Europe, Minister Jandrokovic stressed the need for the international community's continued presence in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina. He also emphasized the importance of the Euro-Atlantic perspective for achieving lasting peace and stability in Europe's southeast. The Republic of Croatia, as a future NATO member, intends to give its full contribution to that end.
In a talk after the meeting with the journalist accredited to Brussels, Minister Jandrokovic expressed satisfaction with the substantiality of the discussions led about the Alliance's topical issues and the preparations for the Strasbourg/Kehl Summit. He said Croatia expects to participate in the Summit as a full-fledged NATO member, for which there is a strong political will on the part of all NATO members.
He also said he had held a series of informal meetings, including the meetings with Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon and Slovenian Foreign Minister Samuel Žbogar, adding that he would meet with his Slovenian counterpart and EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn again next week to discuss the Croatian-Slovenian border dispute.
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