Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic received yesterday, 26 October 2005, to an inaugural visit the UNHCR Representative, Jean Claude Concolato.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic received yesterday, 26 October 2005, to an inaugural visit the UNHCR Representative, Jean Claude Concolato.
Minister Grabar-Kitarovic thanked the High Commissioner for his activities in Croatia so far, especially regarding the refugee issues. She said that these are priority issues for the Croatian Governments, as well as an obligation towards the Sarajevo Declaration based on which Croatia was given the Implementation Plan. She also stressed the importance of the asylum issue within the EU, as well as on a national level, and is therefore willing to intensify its efforts in that regard.
Representative Concolato congratulated Croatia on the opening of the negotiations with the EU and pointed out that the UNHCR will follow with a great interest their progress in those chapters containing the asylum issues. He informed Minister Grabar-Kitarovic about the new model for the solving of the refugee return issues, that the UNHCR is developing for the first time in its history.
Representative Concolato said that the three international organisations – EU, OSCE and UNHCR – supported by the US Embassy in Croatia, are working with the governments of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia and Montenegro on the setting up of equal criteria in refugee return.
Ivana Crnic
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