Croatian delegation at the 41st Munich Conference on Security Policy

The first day of the conference, German Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder’s speech gathered the most attention, read on his behalf by Defence Minister Peter Struck. Chancellor Schröder stresses the need to renew and redefine NATO’s role.

Today, 13 February 2005, the Conference’s program started with a thematic Panel on the future role of the UN in the strengthening of global security. The opening speech was held by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Taking part in the ensuing discussion were Joschka Fischer, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Miomir Žužul, who invoked in his presentation the speech by the US senator who pointed out the necessity of the UN’s perseverance and named its most successful peacekeeping missions. Minister Žužul pointed out the successfulness of UNTAES operation in Croatia, that facilitated the peaceful reintegration of Croatian Podunavlje.

Minister Žužul expressed his belief that the peacekeeping operations were the most successful there where full co-operation was established between the UN and other international organisations and the governments of the countries in which the operations were taking place. He emphasised the importance of the transatlantic co-operation as a prerequisite for a successful functioning of international organisations such as the UN and NATO, and expressed his support of Secretary General’s initiative to form a peacekeeping board within the UN.

At the margins of the Conference, Minister Žužul held a series of bilateral meetings that discussed Croatia’s accession to the EU and NATO. The 41st Munich Conference on Security Policy is ending today, 13 February.