Minister Picula held a speech at the closure of the course “Management of the Defence System”...

In his speech held on 12 September 2003 in Zagreb, at the closure of the course “Management of the Defence System”, Mr. Tonino Picula, the Croatian Foreign Minister, emphasised that Croatia is viewed by the international community today as a reliable partner and the factor of stability in south-eastern Europe.

Two week course has been organised under the auspices of the British Ministry of Defence for representatives of the Ministry of Defence from Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania.

Besides the constructive cooperation in numerous regional fora and initiatives such as the CEI, the Stability Pact and the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, the Croatian efforts to create a safe and friendly environment, as a pledge to its own progress, is manifested by specific measures whose goal is to resolve issues of post-war recovery, Minister Picula warned. “The return of refugees and displaced persons ceased to be a political issue”, Picula pointed out.

“Apart from having an active role in its own neighbourhood, Croatia also gives its contribution to security elsewhere” Minister Picula said and illustrated it by the participation of Croatian military and police representatives in UN mission in Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Afghanistan, and concluded that security and stability are not issue of one country only”.

At the end of the course, Minister Picula handed diplomas to the course attendants.

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