Bringing in General Ante Gotovina remains our commitment, if he is in the country

What are the most important characteristics of the political dialogue that was conducted last week in Brussels, we asked the Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula.
- This political dialogue was held in the most positive atmosphere to date – Picula replied. Our recently submitted candidacy for EU membership has certainly contributed to it, but we also talked of issues which are no longer a problem in relations between Croatia and the EU, such as the Constitutional Law on the Rights of Minorities or the Law on the Croatian Television Network, and even certain progress in the return of refugees. What is important is that the context of talks has changed, as the Croatian candidacy, whether we want to admit it or not, changes the way the EU views Croatia.
We talked about the relations between Croatia and the EU, the situation in the region, and for the first time about Iraq. This is a proof not only of the importance of the Iraqi crisis, but also of the EU’s need to raise such an issue with a country that has submitted its candidacy for full membership.
On behalf of Italy, which is to take over the EU presidency after Greece, Georgios Papandreu, Chris Patten and Roberto Antonione have encouraged Croatia to resolve as soon as possible the issues distancing it from the EU. Of course, it is important that the submitted candidacy has prospects. In this political dialogue, this was indeed about a matter of real substance. The Greek Foreign Minister clearly said that Croatia is viewed as a key point of cooperation and stability.

This assessment needs to be justified, doesn’t it?
- Of course it does. Croatia must offer additional proof that it fully cooperates with The Hague Tribunal, and this is particularly important right now, as we want to be perceived as a country whose candidacy for EU membership is important. This certainly implies maintaining a good working temperature and sensitising the Croatian public to the importance of this cooperation. Besides, it is certainly necessary to complete the return of refugees and to resolve the issue of their property. This is very important so that Croatia may be viewed as a normal European and democratic country which makes no distinctions between its citizens.

The first phase of lobbying has finished. What will diplomats be doing in the forthcoming months?
- The dialogue with the EU continues intensively. Mr. Chris Patten is to visit Zagreb shortly, we are preparing for the European Conference in Athens in April and we have a series of activities related to the celebration of the Day of Europe in May. The Summit in Salonika will indeed be an opportunity for the EU to review once again its policy which has a starting point in the results of the Zagreb Summit in 2000. The Greek presidency is preparing very ambitiously for the Salonika Summit and its priority is to better integrate the South-Eastern European countries, the Balkans. However, each country must justify this Greek ambition on its own, and make it credible by its own policy.
I can announce to Vjesnik readers that we shall not sitting down doing nothing. For us, lobbying continues. Apart from the meeting between the Prime Minister Ivica Račan and the British Prime Minister Tony Blair, we shall focus on the region. This week, we are going to visit officially Sarajevo. We will offer it our assistance and support on our joint path towards Brussels. It is important at this moment to send a message to our neighbours that by its candidacy for the EU, Croatia does not wish to single itself out from its neighbours, but rather to be understood as an expression of support to their Euro-Atlantic ambitions as well.
It needs to be said that my guest this month will be Mr. Goran Svilanović, the Foreign Minister of Serbia and Montenegro. In Dubrovnik, we will talk with Foreign Ministers of Macedonia and Albania on our joint approach to membership in NATO, as I believe that by then we will have terminated our work on the Adriatic Charter, to be co-signed by the USA. At this moment, Croatia is singled out in the region not only by the fact that it has submitted its candidacy for EU membership, but also by the speed and success of its reforms. Here of course, we must not stop or get lulled into inaction, as it concerns processes that might slow down. We have to be careful that this does not happen.

What about specific problems in relations with The Hague? Has Croatia delivered the necessary documentation?
- Relations with The Hague still oscillate. Can someone dispute the fact that the Croatian Government has delivered more than 90% of documents requested by The Hague? Can someone dispute that we have not given ten thousand pages of archive material to The Hague investigators? Can someone dispute that this Government did not arrange the talks between The Hague investigators and witnesses and suspects? We have done absolutely all of this. What remains as an open issue and which colours the perception of all cooperation is the case of General Gotovina. Bringing in General Gotovina remains our commitment, if he is in the country. If he is not in the country, then of course, we expect others to make their contribution to this issue as well. As to General Janko Bobetko, we are waiting for the Court to give its final decision on whether it considers this case closed or whether its assessment will be left for some other time.
I understand the sensitivity of one part of the international community which, at this moment when Europe is admitting 10 new members, may show some nervousness that another candidate is coming to the scene. Maybe it will be harder for Croatia than for all previous countries. It is a fact that we are joining the EU which has a single currency and is soon to have 25 members. And then comes Croatia with its unfinished transition story, burdened with certain internal issues and wishing to skip a number of set elements and become a EU member. This may be causing a certain unpleasantness and scepticism which is possible to understand. We will not be discouraged by this scepticism. We will not push our problems under the carpet, and scepticism will be removed by resolving these issues.

Regardless of what you have said, there is still a great doubt regarding the commitment of the Government to arrest Gotovina?
- It is easy to express this doubt, but it is difficult to document it. It will exist as long as the Gotovina case exists. It is in the interest of the Croatian Government to resolve it as soon as possible. Someone would have to prove that this Government consciously obstructs the resolution of General Gotovina’s case which is absolutely not true. We would take with the greatest seriousness any proof that would substantiate this doubt. The Hague issue will probably remain the last critical element on the ever shorter list of issues on the Croatian path to the EU. I am sure that during the next several months we will prove by a number of examples that the Government takes this cooperation seriously.

“I don’t believe that it is possible to cooperate with The Hague”

The whole time, you are talking about progress and reforms. But, the fact remains that international institutions continue to criticise Croatia as regards The Hague Tribunal and the return of refugees and their property. Gotovina has not yet been arrested and the return of property is not going as it should. Is Croatia falling behind in implementation?
- I am not sure that all these assessments are correct. They are true in one part and I don’t run away form the accuracy of some criticism. That wouldn’t be serious. But to create a general picture of Croatia’s will based on a certain number of examples would simply not be responsible. If the Croatian Government really refused to fulfil part of its commitments, not only those undertaken internationally, but also to realise its own program, Athens would not be possible. Problems exist and no one is running away from them. If in a period of six months nothing happened or even if some of the issues were still outstanding, whether it concerns the return of refugees or cooperation with The Hague, then these assessments would be justified.
I simply don’t believe that it is possible to cooperate with The Hague for six months or do nothing on the return of refugees and their property. Maybe the adoption of certain documents takes longer than we wished, but these are not simple issues. Sometimes it is better to wait a bit longer for the elaboration of a certain document than to improvise poorly. I am sure that this serious matter dealt with at the Ministry of Reconstruction and Construction and the Government, is not being covered up and commitments are not being avoided, but its realisation is taking place according to the pace that Croatia can follow.

“We need the USA and the EU”

A lot is being said in the media that Croatia has chosen the American side in the Iraqi crisis. Has Brussels reproached you for the Vilnius signature?
- We have talked about this, however, the fact that Croatia has, together with the other nine European countries, agreed to one political declaration doesn’t inhibit our path towards the EU or cause any additional comments which would burden relations between Zagreb and Brussels. For a long time, Croatia has been lagging behind in the processes of integration into the EU and NATO. When Croatia got the chance to elect its Government by the political will of its citizens honestly wishing to integrate it in both institutions, it was not enough to walk. It was not even enough to run. We had to start flying. But for flying, we need both wings, one is not enough. Therefore, we need both the USA and the EU to fly towards our goals.