Vladimir Šeks and Miomir Žužul talked yesterday with Colin Powell...

President of the Croatian parliament Vladimir Šeks and Croatian Foreign Minister Miomir Žužul talked yesterday at the Washington State Department with the US Secretary of State Colin Powell about the relations between Croatia and the US, especially the US support of Croatia joining NATO

It was a meeting that marked the ending of Croatian delegation’s several days visit to the US, during which the heads of delegation, Vladimir Šeks and Miomir Žužul, held a series of intensive and successful talks with the US congressmen and senators, and were invited as honorary guests to President Bush’s annual address about the state of the Union.

After the meeting with the US Secretary of State Colin Powell, President of the Croatian parliament Vladimir Šeks said to the press that the meeting was the crown of the delegation’s very successful visit to Washington. The meeting discussed the non-extradition of the American citizens to ICC, the ratification of the Memorandum on Intellectual Property between the US and the Republic of Croatia, and especially the preparations for Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader’s visit to the US. One of the most important issues that were discussed, said Šeks, was the support the US Secretary of State offered Croatia on its way towards joining the NATO “umbrella”.

After the talks with Mr Powell, Foreign Minister Žužul said to the press that the US and Croatian government share the same views on nearly all of the most important issues. We asked for support of Croatia joining NATO as soon as possible, and Secretary of State Colin Powell gave us that support, said Minister Žužul.

Before going to Washington, Croatian delegation announced Prime Minister Sanader’s soon visit to the US, as well as the possibility of the House of Representatives and the Senate supporting through a congress resolution Croatia entering the NATO Alliance. It is also possible that a US delegation composed of distinguished members of the House of Representatives of the US Congress and the Senate will soon visit Croatia.

Last night, Foreign Minister Žužul left directly for Bruxelles, where he is to appear before the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee and meet with the distinguished Members of the Parliament, as well as talk with Javier Solana, High Representative for
Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU and Secretary General of the EU Council of Ministers. Foreign Minister Žužul will also take part in the discussion entitled “Transforming the Western Balkans – A Progress Report”, organised by the European Policy Centre in Bruxelles.

Press releases