First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusic 22 September in New York held talks with Turkmen Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashid Meredov regarding the pending delivery of a ferry built in Croatia. “The ferry has passed technical inspection and is to head for Turkmenistan on Wednesday,” Pusic said, adding that there were still some diplomatic-organizational obstacles to be overcome before the ship arrived. “This is a big deal because if Turkmenistan is satisfied with the ship, they plan to order more,” the minister said, underlining the role of Croatia’s economic diplomacy in the deal. The two ministers also discussed cooperation in road construction and IT, notably cooperation with the Ericsson Nikola Tesla Company.
Pusic participated in a panel discussion on early and forced marriages co-organized by Italy, Canada and Zambia. “This issue directly impacts nearly a billion girls worldwide. Croatia participated in the discussion as our development aid focuses on girls and women in communities, which represent the weakest part of a society, especially post-conflict ones, yet at the same time are crucial for its sustainable development and recovery,” Pusic said, adding that Croatia would be implementing jointly with Germany and Poland a twinning project on strengthening the capacity of state institutions in Macedonia, which represents a results of efforts on part of the Centre of Excellence as well as Croatia’s positive approach to the region and development assistance in general.
Asked whether Croatia had joined a coalition of countries in the fight against the Islamic State, Pusic said Croatia was part of the coalition as a member of the EU and NATO and that, like them, it was willing to combat international terrorism. "In terms of concrete assistance, we still haven"t taken part, but we will," she told reporters in New York, adding that the Islamic State was an absolutely threat to peace not only in Europe, but globally as well. Croatia supports the model of cooperation with the countries fighting against the Islamic State, specifically with the authorities in Iraq and Kurdistan, Pusic said.
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