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| "Source: © NATO" |
Today, the meeting discussed NATO operations, with a special emphasis on ISAF and KFOR, as well as the problem of piracy around Africa’s horn and the NATO Headquarters reform.
Croatia is participating in ISAF with 277 members of the armed forces. Our country remains dedicated to its engagement in ISAF and to assisting Afghanistan in establishing security and an efficient central authority. Croatia is especially interested in assistance that will enable Afghanistan to independently deal with security issues.
In the context of discussing the KFOR mission in Kosovo, Croatia is aware of the importance of the stabilization processes in that area for the stability of the region as a whole. Therefore, it supports the deployment of the European Union EULEX mission as soon as possible. Croatia advocated that NATO offers strong political support and show readiness to concretely back up the future role of the EU in Kosovo. With the aim of supporting the KFOR mission, Croatia is sending in two transport helicopters and 20 soldiers.
As a maritime country, Croatia welcomes NATO’s engagement in maintaining the navigability and safety of seaways, as well as the European Union’s operation Atalanta, that in December will take over the same duties. Croatia strongly supports the cooperation between the EU and NATO in that area, especially considering the Croatian seamen too were targets of pirate attacks.
Minister Jandroković also took part in the foreign minister-level meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission and the NATO-Ukraine Commission.
In the afternoon, Minister Jandroković travelled to Oslo, Norway, where he will on behalf of the Croatian Government sign the Convention on Cluster Munitions.