CROATIA CANDIDATE FOR UN SECURITY COUNCIL

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000265 SIPDIS FOR EUR/SCE-KABUMOTO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL HR USUN SUBJECT: CROATIA CANDIDATE FOR UN SECURITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS FOR 2008-2009 ¶1. CROATIA PLANS TO RUN FOR A SEAT ON THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL FOR THE PERIOD 2008-2009. ON FEBRUARY 5, ACTING HEAD OF THE MFA'S AMERICAS DEPARTMENT, ANDREA BEKIC, HANDED US A DIPLOMATIC NOTE ANNOUNCING THE GOC'S INTENTIONS. BEKIC SAID CROATIA WOULD APPRECIATE U.S. SUPPORT. WE TOLD HER WE WOULD PASS THE NOTE TO THE DEPARTMENT (EUR/SCE). BEGIN TEXT: NO: 747/04 THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA PRESENTS ITS COMPLIMENTS TO THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN ZAGREB AND HAS THE HONOUR TO PRESENT THE CANDIDATURE OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA FOR THE NON-PERMANENT SEAT TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL OF THE UNITED NATIONS FOR THE PERIOD 2008-2009 AT ELECTIONS TO BE HELD DURING THE 62ND SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS IN 2007 IN NEW YORK. CROATIA STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE UN PRINCIPLES OF EQUITABLE REPRESENTATION OF REGIONS AND ROTATION IN THE MEMBERSHIP OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION. IN THIS RESPECT AND CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT CROATIA HAS NEVER BEEN A MEMBER OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL, THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA WOULD HIGHLY APPRECIATE IF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WOULD RENDER ITS VALUABLE SUPPORT FOR THE ABOVE MENTIONED CANDIDATURE. TO DATE, CROATIA HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF UN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL (ECOSOC) AND SERVED ON EIGHT OF ITS FUNCTIONAL COMMISSIONS, CULMINATING IN THE PRESIDENCY OF ECOSOC IN 2002. MINDFUL THAT PEACE AND SECURITY ARE PREREQUISITES FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PROSPERITY, CROATIA WOULD LIKE TO REMAIN ENGAGED WITH AND RESPONSIVE TO CURRENT CONCERNS ON REFORMING THE UN SYSTEM, IN ORDER TO MAKE IT A STRONGER AND MORE EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATION FOR THE 21ST CENTURY. GIVEN THE SECURITY COUNCIL,S PRIMARY ROLE IN THE MAINTENANCE OF INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY, A CENTRAL TENET OF CROATIA,S CANDIDATURE FOR SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP IS ITS WISH TO ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO THE UN SYSTEM OF COLLECTIVE SECURITY IN EFFECTIVE AND TRANSPARENT WAY, AS EMBODIED IN THE CHARTER AND RE-ALIGNED WITH THE MILLENNIUM DECLARATION. CROATIA GAINED IMPORTANT EXPERIENCE IN POST-WAR RECOVERY, POST-CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND CONFIDENCE BUILDING. CROATIA CONTINUES TO ATTACH GREAT IMPORTANCE TO CONFLICT PREVENTION AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION ACTIVITIES, AND TAKES AN ACTIVE PART IN A NUMBER OF UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS. IN ITS ROLE OF THE PROMOTER OF REGIONAL AND EUROPEAN SECURITY, CROATIA STANDS DETERMINED TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT PEACE EFFORTS AND A STRENGTHENED UN ROLE ON A REGIONAL AND GLOBAL LEVEL. THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA AVAILS ITSELF OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RENEW TO THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN ZAGREB THE ASSURANCES OF ITS HIGHEST CONSIDERATION. END TEXT. FRANK NNNN