Minister Grabar-Kitarović took part at round table Regional Co-operation and Confidential Information Exchange

In her speech, Minister Grabar-Kitarović said that NATO membership is Croatia’s strategic foreign policy goal, explaining that for Croatia it represents not only a military alliance and a security mechanism, but a political alliance as well, based on joint values and interests – the principles of liberal democracy, freedom, respect for human rights, tolerance, solidarity, and free enterprise. Minister Grabar-Kitarović said that NATO membership entails assuming one’s own share of the responsibility for maintaining and promoting these values and interests, which Croatia is willing and ready to assume.

Minister Grabar-Kitarović commended the participation of the experts from the Adriatic Charter signatories as an excellent example of the importance of regional co-operation and harmonisation with NATO standards. Reminding about the threat that terrorism and organised crime present to the countries around the world, Minister Grabar-Kitarović pointed out that the efforts shown in today’s exercise are a testimony to the efficient and effective international and interdepartmental co-operation, and are crucial for recognising and preventing the proliferation of WMDs.

Minister Grabar-Kitarović said that Croatia is determined to prevent the proliferation of WMDs, adding that it commends the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), aimed at preventing the proliferation of WMDs and related materials, technology and equipment, and is an active participant in the process of searching for the best way to implement the PSI principles.

At the end of her speech, Minister Grabar-Kitarović thanked the US for supporting the realisation of ARIEX06 and all of the participant and monitoring countries, adding that Croatia is honoured to host and take part in it and is determined to actively participate and contribute to international co-operation.