Minister Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović met with representatives of Croatian community in Chile

Minister Grabar-Kitarović took part at the Conference that adopted the Declaration envisaging concrete steps in the development of democracy, the rule of law, promotion of human rights in international organisations, especially UN, and on the regional, subregional and national level.

At the margins of the Conference, Minister Grabar-Kitarović held 11 official bilateral meetings. She met with Chilean Foreign Minister Ignacio Walker, Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim, Moroccan Vice-Prime Minister Abbaso El Fassi, Paraguayan Foreign Minister Leila Rachid de Cowles, and Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov. Yesterday, 30 April 2005, Minister Grabar-Kitarović held bilateral meetings with UN Under-Secretary for Political Affairs Danilo Turk, Malian Foreign Minister Moctar Ouane, Ukranian Foreign Minister Boris Tarasyuk, Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh, and heads of the delegation of the German MFA. Minister Grabar-Kitarović also held a series of informal talks during which she lobbied for Croatia’s non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council for 2008/2009.

The last day of her official visit to the Republic of Chile, Minister Grabar-Kitarović met with the Croatian honorary consuls to Chile in Puenta Arenas and Antofagatsta, as well as with the honorary consuls to Bolivia and Peru, and representatives of the Croatian community in Chile. The Minister emphasised the important role the Croatian emigrants played in bonding Croatia and Chile, as well as their contribution to various fields of Chilean society. Proofs of good co-operation are the Chilean investments into Croatian economy, numerous bilateral agreements and a rich cultural co-operation.

There are over 900 Croatian citizens living in Chile today, as well as around 200,000 persons of Croatian descent. These are mostly middle and senior aged citizens who have fully integrated into the Chilean society. Among them are representatives of the executive authority (two of the candidates for Chile’s presidents were of Croatian descent), legislative and judicial authority, representatives from the field of culture, art, education and entrepreneurship. Minister Grabar-Kitarović informed the representatives of the Croatian community with Croatia’s efforts and determination in the implementation of social reforms aimed at the strengthening of democracy and economy, which will facilitate the end goal – full EU membership.

On Sunday 1 may 2005, Minister Grabar-Kitarović will be visiting Argentina, where she will meet with the Croatian community and honorary consuls of Rosario, Tucaman and Cordoba.