State Secretary Bianca Matković led Croatian delegation at first round of Croatia’s NATO accession negotiations in Brussels

The talks dealt with the political and defence issues stemming from the Washington Agreement. Croatia expressed the readiness to take part in the joint defence system, confirming its active contribution to the peace and stability of the Euro-Atlantic space, as well as its dedication to the principles of the UN Charter and the common values of the transatlantic community – freedom, democracy, and free market.

NATO representatives agreed that Croatia, during the past six cycles of the Membership Action Plan, has achieved the goals it had set and is now from a position of equality negotiating its place in the alliance of Western democracies. In that regard, a successful closing of the first round of accession negotiations is a confirmation of Croatia’s fortified international position.

The next round of accession negotiation will be held 7 May 2008 at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels.

The delegation led by State Secretary Bianca Matković also consisted of Defence Advisor to the Croatian President Vlatko Cvrtila, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration and National NATO Co-ordinator Pjer Šimunović, Croatian Ambassador to NATO Davor Božinović, the Croatian Military Representative to NATO, Major General Drago Lovrić, acting Assistant Minister for Defence Policy, Warship Captain Robert Hranj, Head of the Planning Division of the Army Headquarters, Major General Dragutin Repinc, Brigadier, the Chief of Staff of the Operations Command Centre of the Croatian Armed Forces’ Headquarters, Brigadier Vlado Šindler, Foreign Policy Advisor to the Croatian Prime Minister Davor Stier, Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ivan Sabolić, and Marina Rožić, the Head of the NATO Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration.