Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Gordan Jandrokovic participated 22 and 23 April 2010 in Tallinn in the meeting of NATO members' foreign ministers.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Gordan Jandrokovic participated 22 and 23 April 2010 in Tallinn in the meeting of NATO members' foreign ministers.
The meeting was chaired by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, while the first day's main topics included NATO's new strategic concept, reform and enlargement, with a special emphasis on Bosnia and Herzegovina's Membership Action Plan.
During the discussion about NATO's new strategic concept, Minister Jandrokovic expressed satisfaction over the fact that Croatia, as a NATO member, had been given the opportunity to take part in the drafting of one of NATO's fundamental documents. The new strategic concept, first after 1999 and the admission of nine new members, should affirm NATO's traditional role as a political and military alliance, as well as determine the guidelines for dealing with the challenges and threats facing the modern society, said Minister Jandrokovic.
Discussing NATO's reforms and enlargement, Minister Jandrokovic reiterated Croatia's support for Bosnia and Herzegovina's invitation to the Membership Action, which would send a message not only to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the political forces advocating the Euro-Atlantic integration membership, but all the other political forces in the region sharing the same goals, said Minister Jandrokovic. Conclusively, the ministers reached the decision to invite Bosnia and Herzegovina to MAP, whose first cycle should begin once the issue of ownership of defence-use real estate is resolved.
The first day of the meeting, Minister Jandrokovic also attended the working dinner which discussed the nuclear armament and antimissile defence.
The second day of the meeting saw the discussion about the relations with Russia and the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. Minister Jandrokovic pointed out that NATO's partnership and political dialogue with Russia play an important role in Europe's security architecture. He advocated the strengthening of the cooperation between NATO and Russia in the issues of joint interest, such as Afghanistan.
During the discussion on the ISAF mission, Minister Jandrokovic said that the building of a security framework is the most important task of the allied forces in Afghanistan. He familiarized the present parties with Croatia's activities and contribution to ISAF, pointing out that members of the Croatian Armed Forces are taking part in three Operational Mentor and Liaison Teams, while two police mentors teams are planned to go operational by summer's end. Croatia has also offered additional military mentor assistance and is prepared to send its instructors to Kabul Logistic School. Minister Jandrokovic said that, based on the political agreement, the parliamentary procedure to increase the Croatian contingent in Afghanistan had been set in motion, which could, once the Croatian Parliament approves it, reach the number of 320 members, with more than half of the contingent being in charge of training the Afghan security forces. Minister Jandrokovic also pointed out that the Croatian public's support for the participation in ISAF remains one of the priority strategic element.
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