Institute for International Relations

Ivan Simonovic (ed.), 1999, IMO, Zagreb

I. Peace and Security

The issues of peace and security remained high on the political and diplomatic agenda of the Republic of Croatia throughout 1998. Although the security situation in the Republic of Croatia improved considerably, the situation in neighbouring countries remained intricate - from Bosnia and Herzegovina via Macedonia and the strained relations between Serbia and Montenegro, to a fresh flare-up in Kosovo, that further compounded the existing matrix of security tensions.

On 15 January 1998 the mandate of the United Nations Transitional Administration in Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES) was successfully completed. This event was marked both on the ground in Vukovar and at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Besides the two Transitional Administrators, Messrs Jacques Klein and William Walker, the Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Bernard Miyet, also took part in the Vukovar ceremony, while the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan addressed the gathering in New York.

The issue of Prevlaka, the only remaining security issue on Croatia's peace and security agenda, still awaits resolution. Accordingly, all correspondence with the Security Council during the past year on this issue has been included. Croatia advocated the principles of inviolability of internationally recognized borders and repeatedly called for an urgent solution to this security issue, in accordance with the UN Charter and international law.

A marked improvement within Croatia has freed resources for an additional engagement in regional peace and security matters. Croatia has thereby taken an active part in the debate on Bosnia and Herzegovina in the General Assembly. As a cosponsor of the pertinent General Assembly resolution, Croatia pledged its best efforts towards consolidating not only peace and security, but also, a sustainable polity and economy in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Within the framework of the Security Council debates and deliberations on Kosovo, Croatia called for an active and energetic involvement of the international community in the prevention of a humanitarian catastrophe and protecting the civilian population.