CROATIA SUPPORTS PSI

UNCLAS ZAGREB 002173 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NP AND T E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM PREL PHSA PBTS HR NATO SUBJECT: CROATIA SUPPORTS PSI REF: A. ZAGREB 2047 ¶B. STATE 272470 ¶1. On September 18, at a meeting with representatives of embassies of all eleven PSI states, Croatia's Foreign Ministry made an informal declaration of support for PSI principles, but asked questions about the legal framework for PSI and about plans for PSI infrastructure (ref a). After receipt of additional information (ref b),Croatia's Foreign Ministry delivered a formal paper on October 7 (full text at para 2 below) in which it declares full support for the initiative, readiness to cooperate with PSI states and seeks to participate in PSI exercises in the Mediterranean. ¶2. Begin text of Croatian paper on PSI POSITION-PAPER ON PROLIFERATION SECURITY INITIATIVE The Republic of Croatia as a democratic and peace-oriented country is deeply engaged in both regional and global disarmament and non-proliferation issues. The intensifying of transnational threats throughout Europe and elsewhere, global terrorism, organized crime as well as refugee crises, narcotics smuggling, trafficking in human beings and illegal migrations have had both a direct and indirect influence on the national security of Croatia. Being situated in an area where some smuggling routes from Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe converge and cross into Western Europe, Croatia has recognized this potential threat and is making it an imperative to combat. For this reason, strengthening and raising the efficiency of Croatia's border management and security system is amongst the priorities for the Government. Croatia adopted a Law on the Production, Maintenance and Trafficking of Arms and Military Equipment, and the Control of Export of Dual Use Goods Act is ready to enter the parliamentary procedure. Croatian Government has on 9 May 2002 accepted the criteria contained in the EU Code of Conduct for Arms Exports. With regard to weapons of mass destruction non-proliferation on an international level, Croatia is a party to and active participant in all the major international conventions dealing with WMD. This includes the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT); the Convention on the Prohibition of Biological and Toxin Weapons; the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons; and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Also, Croatia works closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency on many issues in its sphere of responsibility, such as with the implementations of the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. Annex III Lists 1, 2 and 3 of the Ordinance on Goods Subject to Import and Export Licensing regulates the issuance of import/export licenses for goods which fall under the list of substances relating to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction. Import/export licenses for substances included in the above mentioned lists are granted by the Ministry of Economy. As a State Party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and in accordance with the Protocol Additional to the Agreement between the Republic of Croatia and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the Application of Safeguards in connection with the NPT (Annex II) and the Decree on Goods Subject to Import and Export Licensing, the import and export of nuclear materials and specified equipment on nuclear materials or the use of nuclear materials are subject to licensing. Import/export licenses for these materials and equipment are issued by the Ministry of Economy. Unfortunately, as September 11 has proved, not all WMD threats involve the use of chemical/biological/nuclear weapons. To combat these threats we believe that all necessary efforts should be put into establishing much closer interstate cooperation between partner countries, especially in the exchange of real-time information. Timely exchange of information could have a decisive effect on possible terrorist activities. Croatia's firm position is that only through working together with its partners and allies can the spread of weapons of mass destruction, missiles and other WMD delivery systems be fought effectively. Taking into account all stated above, Croatia fully supports the work of Proliferation Security Initiative as described in the non-paper presented to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 18 September 2003 by the representatives of Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, UK and USA. Croatia is ready to cooperate with the countries participants of PSI within the scope of the Initiative and in accordance with the national legislation and international law. Croatia has so far been exchanging information with its partners regarding the proliferation of weapons through its territory and will continue to observe possible "suspicious" cargos in its ports, seas, roads or airspace. Croatia has interest to participate in the exercises within the PSI as an observer state. We are especially interested in the activities planned to take place in the Mediterranean Sea. End text. FRANK NNNN