Minister Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović attended the ministerial meeting of the American-Adriatic Charter Partnership Commission (Initiative A 3)

During the ministerial meeting of the American-Adriatic Charter Partnership Commission, Minister Grabar-Kitarović welcomed the final Riga Summit Declaration where the heads of NATO states and government underline significant progress of the Republic of Croatia and set a clear NATO membership timeframe. Minister said that the Government of the Republic of Croatia issued a special statement welcoming the NATO Declaration in view of new tasks and the new role of the NATO declared at the summit, including the announcement that NATO will ready to expand in spring 2008.

Minister Grabar-Kitarović stressed that the communication with the public stays a high priority of the Croatian Government and presented the efforts undertaken by Croatia to inform its citizens on NATO membership. The Croatian Government will continue working, Minister said, together with heads of state and Parliament, within the State Committee for NATO and will discuss issues of communication strategy for approaching Croatian citizens next week, with the aim to present all NATO membership benefits. Minister Grabar-Kitarović talked once more on the importance of Croatian membership in the NATO, an alliance of sovereign states which ensures not only greater security for the Republic of Croatia, but economic stability as well and thus a better investment climate and tourism perspective.

After the formal meeting of the American-Adriatic Charter Partnership Commission, a broadened meeting was held with the participation of foreign ministers and senior officials of Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina who discussed the recently held summit and messages from Riga, an encouragement for all countries to complete reforms and taken obligations. Minister Grabar-Kitarović also stressed that the Republic of Croatia was determined to continue positive collaboration as well as experience exchange with the American-Adriatic Charter signatory countries.¹

On the margins of the ministerial meeting of the American-Adriatic Charter Partnership Commission, a bilateral meeting between Minister Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović and US Assistant Secretary of State Dan Fried was held.

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¹ The American-Adriatic Charter was signed in Tirana, Albania, on May 2, 2003 by foreign ministers of the Republic of Croatia, Republic of Albania and Republic of Macedonia as well as the US Secretary of State, Colin Powel. The United States of America, as partner country, support the three countries on their path to NATO. The Charter is a three-lateral collaboration in fulfilling the conditions for joining the NATO in the future. The American-Adriatic Charter is an excellent framework for collaboration of the three countries with the goal of contributing to stability, peace and prosperity in the region.