Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Gordan Jandroković delivered lecture at Ban Josip Jelačić War School on “Croatia’s Foreign Policy Strategic Guidelines”

The minister presented Croatia’s principal foreign policy goals

The minister presented Croatia’s principal foreign policy goals, from the pending EU membership, the strengthening of cooperation within NATO, achieving stability in South Eastern Europe, active participation in international organizations, developing partnership relations with countries around the globe and strengthening the economic diplomacy, to protecting the Croats abroad.

Minister Jandroković recalled Croatia’s international position from the early nineties and the 20 years of its independence, dividing it in foreign policy terms on the nineties, when Croatia fought for independence and international positioning, and the period of approaching the Euro-Atlantic integration.

He informed the attendees about the current status of the accession negotiations, saying that they had entered its final phase and expressing belief in their closing by the end of the Hungarian EU presidency.

Speaking about the advantages of joining the Union, Minister Jandroković singled out higher institutional and democratic standards, equal participation in making decisions about the future of Europe, political and economic positioning within the Union as a global player and a major market, as well as an environment conducive to strengthening competition, industry and entrepreneurship. He also pointed out Croatia’s connectedness with the EU – geopolitical, cultural, civilizational and economic.

In regard to the further strengthening of cooperation within NATO, Minister Jandroković pointed out that its membership ensured Croatia peace, security and stability, the protection of common values and interests, fortified its international position, enabled it to take part in passing and implementing the Alliance’s decisions, as well as further develop its economic potential.

Reviewing the NATO membership thus far, he said that Croatia had proven itself as a reliable ally in Afghanistan, especially in the training of the Afghan security forces, as the priority of ISAF.

He commended the activities of the military diplomacy in building a positive image of Croatia in the world, pointing out the transformation in the last 15 or so years, during which Croatia has grown from an international mission recipient to an active participant in the peacekeeping missions led by the UN, NATO and EU, in which it is contributing significantly to the building of peace and stability.

Croatia has also taken part in the drawing up of NATO’s new Strategic Concept, said the minister, and as an advocate of the continuation of the “open door policy” is continuously assisting and supporting the rest of the countries in the region along their path to the Euro-Atlantic integration. He pointed out at that the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation with all of the countries in the region and developing cooperation within numerous regional initiatives (CEFTA, the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, SEECP).

Speaking about the current situation in South Eastern Europe, Minister Jandroković said that the international partners recognized Croatia as a leader contribution to the region’s security and stability. He added that Croatia’s national security was being achieved through regional cooperation as well and that it was a constituent part of our European path. He also stressed that it was of the utmost importance for the overall stability of our country that the rest of the region continued with the process of approaching the Euro-Atlantic organizations.

At the international political scene, Croatia aims to upgrade and develop partnership relations with the other countries of the world, primarily Russia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Gulf States, and South America.

Conclusively, he pointed out the strengthening of economic diplomacy as another important goal and called to mind the constitutional responsibility of protecting the Croats abroad.

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