U.S. Policy in Croatia
U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns Press Availability during SEECP Summit
Zagreb, Croatia
May 10, 2007
Interview with NOVA TV and Croatian Radio:
Croatian Radio: What is the significance that the United States gives to Southeastern Europe Cooperation Process, especially in the context of the forthcoming final status of Kosovo and the actual situation in Serbia, in the Parliament?
UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: That's more questions than one [laughter]. Well first of all let me say I'm delighted to be here in Zagreb, in Croatia, with Ambassador Bradtke. Croatia is a great friend of the United States, and as you know the Prime Minister had a very successful visit to Washington last autumn. The United States is the lead country supporting Croatia for membership in NATO. We have an excellent relationship across the board, so I'm delighted to be here to see the President, and the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister whom I'll be seeing in just a minute. The conference is very important because Southeast Europe is the last part of Europe that needs to be brought in to NATO and the EU. We need to see full peace here, in Serbia and in Kosovo, and Croatia has been a stable, democratic, peaceful friend of all the countries here, and tomorrow we'll mark the end of the Stability Pact and the beginning of the Regional Council so I think it's quite important our Government wanted to be represented here with Ambassador Bradtke to celebrate that, to congratulate the Croatian government, the people of southeastern Europe. And I think there are two other important regional events that we'll be commenting on tomorrow. The first is, the United States of course fully supports the independence of Kosovo and we'll be introducing a resolution with our European partners in the next 24 hours in the Security Council. We hope that resolution will be passed and voted upon by the end of May. Second, I did call Prime Minister Kostunica this morning and I called President Tadic yesterday. With the Prime Minister this morning I just repeated what so many European leaders have said - we are dismayed, we are disappointed to see the Radicals come back to power in Belgrade. We hope that they are not a part of the coalition government, because that's the party of Milosevic, it's the party of the past, it's the party that started the wars against your country and against others, and that's not the party of the future. So we hope that… We're not going to interfere with the internal process in Belgrade, but we do hope that democracy and reform will win out in Belgrade. Thank you very much.