We do not need a diplomacy that asks for negotiation advice over mobile phones

After a short leave, Hido Bišćević is back in diplomacy as State Secretary at the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. With the diplomat that has nearly the same authorities as Foreign Minister Miomir Žužul we spoke on the occasion of US Secretary of State Donald H. Rumsfeld’s visit to Croatia.

Since the new government was formed, media have been announcing a big turnaround in policy towards the US. What kind of a turnaround will that be?
In our political orientation there will be no changes or turnarounds, and not only when the US is concerned. The change concerns the dynamics. The speeding up of the relations with the EU and intensifying the relations with the US has as the objective a firmer foreign policy positioning of Croatia that is supposed to facilitate a more stable internal development. That is the main objective of Croatia’s foreign policy, to create the circumstances in which Croatia will solve its most acute economic and social problems. “At peace with the world, at peace at home” - that is the massage that has, after all, been written in the preamble of the government’s program.

Present diplomacy’s flaws

Yes, but that formula could be reversed – without solving domestic problems, there can be no successful foreign policy.
Of course. That can be explained by that part of the government’s program that concerns the relations between foreign policy and political parties. The government’s program clearly states that there is no party foreign policy, only foreign policy of the Republic of Croatia. That fact needs to be re-emphasised in these new conditions, at the beginning of the new government’s mandate. It was precisely foreign policy partyism that burdened the past government’s foreign policy activities. Launching initiatives on a party level, without institutionalising them through government institutions, is a way that leads to political anarchy. When a country stops caring about the unity of its foreign policy platform and starts taking initiatives that have international implications on its own, it may have negative consequences that may be hard to control or rectify.

Sounds good, but the fact is, however, that Croatia’s foreign policy has never been co-ordinated and unambiguous.
I think that Croatia is now mature enough to consolidate a decision making system and then work out and establish a vertical of decision making. By that I do not mean that there should be a chain of command or a new Defence and National Security Council that will reach a decision on a certain position that all need to reiterate. We need to establish a system of consultations that will, after an analysis by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, profile Croatia’s position regarding certain issue in accordance with its national interests. That position does not need to be rigid and operative assignments will be drawn from it. That is what has been missing in Croatia’s diplomacy. It is only now that Croatian diplomacy is reaching the stage where it can act in accordance with the demands of modern-day international relations. First we had the pyramidal structure of decision making, then in the last three of four years we had a totally horizontal structure where there was not enough co-ordination. One of the consequences of that is the professional erosion of the foreign affairs system. Thankfully, we no longer need a diplomacy that will reach for its cell phones during negotiations, asking for instructions on what to do. But, by the same token, we do not need a diplomacy that will reach for 5 or 6 cell phones, because that is the perfect way for it to get paralysed.

Media simplify things

The relations towards the US have changed, though. In which direction is that change going?
Once again, I would not call it a strategic turnaround, but a dynamisation of these relations. Objectively speaking, the United States, as the world’s greatest power, regardless of whether a part of Croatian public disapproves of certain segments of its foreign policy or not, can be an active partner in the realisation of our strategic goals.

Does Croatia need to decide what it will concentrate mostly on – the EU or NATO?
This is a classic case of the media’s need to simplify things. It seems that we have lost the habit of looking at international relations in all their complexity, but rather through a simplified prism of proverbs, so that we would not have to think too much. Without security, there can be no investment. Or, in other words, without the spreading of the concept of democratic security on Croatia, there will be no spreading of the European idea, which is the basis for investment. That is, of course, putting it simply. But NATO enlargement is, in a way, the spreading of that security zone which enables the EU enlargement as well.
After the enlargement 1 May, Croatia, together with 5 or 6 countries, as well as Romania and Bulgaria, will find itself in an uncovered space security-wise.
This is an epochal process of creation. For the first time in history, a common European house is being built. We claim that it is impossible to build that house if four or five rooms on the ground floor remain locked. Even more so if you cram in there the families that were at war just recently. The process of spreading the security zone from the west to the southeast is in the interest of the European idea.

Does that mean that Croatia wants to take a more active part in the region?
I have recently said to an ambassador: “Do not think that our wish to join the EU is a wish to get out of this region as soon as possible. On the contrary, by entering the EU, we will spread the security zone in the region and assume all the obligations and responsibilities that come with it”. By that we will provide an example for other democratic forces in the region to recognise the worthiness of efforts that are need to be made in order to get the full membership. A “red card” to Croatia might have a discouraging effect on these forces. Those who think that it is not yet time for Croatia to enter negotiations with the EU should take the responsibility for what might happen in the region.

NATO membership means assuming obligations

Would Croatia profit by sending its troops to Iraq?
I have to give a diplomatic answer. This is a very complicated issue, considering the international position of Croatia, the attitude of the parties and the issue-conscious public. Joining the NATO alliance means the readiness to assume certain obligations and responsibilities. The international security system is not a buffet from which you can take whatever you like and leave the rest. It requires active participation from each country, according to its possibilities, of course, and according to agreements with partners. Croatia is already taking part in the operation in Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and other African countries. We need to confirm ourselves from the point of international profiling as a country that is capable of performing such operations, especially considering the fact that we have been at war just seven years ago.

Policy of pulling by the sleeve

Does Croatia need to decide between the EU and the US regarding the non-extradition of the US citizens?
No. When mom and dad are fighting, the kid need to save its skin. The relations between the EU and the US are “on the rocks” right now because of the operations in Iraq, weapons of mass destruction, WTO and steel, and reflect a deeper process where you have the US as undisputedly the world’s greatest power, and Europe that is on the rise and wants to overcome its image of economic giant and political dwarf. That Europe is gradually synchronising with Russia, which is slowly reaching its former level of industrial democracy. If you try to imagine that process 20-30 years from now, you will see that there is a transatlantic rivalry here. Small countries are always in the hardest position. When there is a balance of strength, small countries are constantly pulled by the sleeve. That seems to be the current thing nowadays, as there are some 15 countries between the Baltic and the Adriatic that are “on the market”.
Do you think that the Americans will offer a “take it or leave it” non-extradition agreement?
It is precisely because of the United States’ wider interests in the Adriatic region, that has been formally united by the Adriatic Charter between Croatia, Albania and Macedonia, and that then goes on to NATO members Greece and Turkey, that the American diplomacy has come out with any direct requests or put any pressure.

Content-related and formal changes in relations with the Hague

Can Croatia now finally co-operate with the Hague in a normal fashion?
I think that a lot has changed in the relations between Croatia and the Hague Tribunal. That change is apparent in the new way of communication, and a lot has changed content-wise too. Politically speaking, a lot has changed by transferring the whole issue within the jurisdiction of justice. I will give some examples: the handing of documents to Gotovina’s lawyers and the handing of documents regarding the Paško Ljubičić case. There is one more fact that is seldom mentioned by the public – the testifying of Croatian witnesses in the Hague is going smoothly without any problems. Croatia remains consistent in its attitude of respecting all international obligations and it is ready for a full co-operation with the Hague, whereby it will follow three guidelines, and these are the relevant Security Council resolutions, the Tribunal’s mandate and our Constitutional Law on Co-operation with the Hague Tribunal.