As the first Western country to recognise Croatia, Iceland has a special place in our memory

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman on Wednesday and Thursday was on a working visit to Iceland.
 
During his two-day visit, Grlić Radman met with his Icelandic counterpart Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir for talks on boosting bilateral relations between Croatia and Iceland, which are marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year. “Iceland has a special place in the memory of Croats as the first Western country to recognise Croatia as a sovereign country on 19 December 1991. This was a strong impetus for our people, who were fighting for freedom and democracy at the time,” the minister said. He added that common values connected Croatia and Iceland, and that there was strong potential for the advancement of relations. As areas where cooperation could be additionally strengthened, Grlić Radman cited economy, defence, culture, science and education.
 
The two ministers expressed satisfaction with the cooperation within the financial mechanism of the European Economic Area. “We are looking forward to the realisation of the cooperation potential in the 2014-2021 financial period and we welcome the implementation of the projects of common interest,” said Grlić Radman.
 
The talks also focused on topical foreign policy issues, such as Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Grlić Radman underscored that Iceland was one of the participants in the first parliamentary summit of the International Crimea Platform in Zagreb the previous month. He said the event was important not only for Croatia, but for the whole world, as it had highlighted the importance of solidarity with Ukraine, which the minister described as the only moral and legally acceptable stance.
 
Grlić Radman and Thórdís discussed the situation in Southeast Europe, whose stability and development Grlić Radman characterized as crucial for Europe as a whole. In that context, he welcomed the European Commission’s recommendation to grant Bosnia and Herzegovina the EU membership candidate status, underlining the importance of providing a credible European perspective to all the countries in the region that are truly committed to European values.
 
During his stay in Reykjavik, Grlić Radman also met with Icelandic President Gu?ni Thorlacius Jóhannesson, Parliament Speaker Birgir Ármannsson and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Bjarni Jónsson.
 

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