Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said on Saturday that Croatia was participating, as a NATO member, in peace missions around the world in line with its potential, and that it was unable to send additional troops to Afghanistan for the time being.
Croatian President Stjepan Mesicsaid on Saturday that Croatia was participating, as a NATO member, in peacemissions around the world in line with its potential, and that it was unable tosend additional troops to Afghanistan for the time being.
"As a NATO member-country, Croatia has the obligation to take part inthe alliance's missions, but participation in NATO missions always depends onthe country's capacity. We can always be asked to give our consent, and we cando so if the financial situation allows it," Mesic said when asked byreporters about the engagement of Croatian troops in NATO missions.
He added that at present Croatia was unable to send more troops toAfghanistan, where some 300 Croatian soldiers are already serving in theInternational Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission.
Mesic said that the possible deployment of more Croatian troops could bediscussed again next year, but that it was impossible for the time being.
During his regular meeting with citizens in his office, Mesic was also askedby the press to comment on the latest report on Croatia's cooperation with theHague war crimes tribunal, submitted to the UN Security Council by thetribunal's chief prosecutor, Serge Brammertz.
The President said the report showed that the tribunal was still seekingartillery logs, but that it also cited "the positive things that have beendone".
