III 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 342 

Recognizing the Republic of Croatia for its progress in strengthening democratic institutions, respect for human rights, and the rule of law and 

recommending the integration of Croatia into the North Atlantic Treaty 

Organization. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 21, 2005 

Mr. VOINOVICH (for himself, Mr. HAGEL, and Mr. BIDEN) submitted the 

following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the Republic of Croatia for its progress in 

strengthening democratic institutions, respect for human 

rights, and the rule of law and recommending the integration of Croatia into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. 

Whereas the United States recognized the Republic of Croatia on April 7, 1992, acknowledging the decision of the 

people of Croatia to live in an independent, democratic, 

and sovereign country; 

Whereas since achieving their independence, the people of 

Croatia have dedicated themselves to building a functioning democratic society, based on the rule of law, respect for human rights, and a free market economy; 
2 

•SRES 342 ATS

Whereas Croatia has made progress in judicial reform and 

has adopted a judicial reform strategy; 

Whereas Croatia has demonstrated a desire to protect minority rights and promote a viable multiethnic society; 

Whereas, in 2002, Croatia adopted the Constitutional Law on 

the Rights of National Minorities, ensuring the representation of minorities in the Parliament of Croatia and the 

establishment of the councils of national minorities; 

Whereas the Government of Croatia has concluded specific bilateral agreements on the protection of minority rights 

with Hungary, Italy, and Serbia and Montenegro and has 

concluded an agreement on cooperation with representatives of the Independent Democratic Serb Party in the 

Parliament of Croatia; 

Whereas three prominent members of the Parliament of Croatia, Ratko Gajica, Milorad Pupovac, and Vojislav 

Stanimirovic, who represent the Serb minority, sent a letter to the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, Stephen Hadley, expressing their support for 

the Prime Minister of Croatia, Ivo Sanader, and for Croatia’s path toward membership in the European Union 

and in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 

(‘‘NATO’’); 

Whereas Croatia has shown dedication to advancing the return, reconstruction, and restitution of property in Croatia; 

Whereas Croatia has proven to be a reliable partner of the 

United States in seeking the stabilization of the region; 

Whereas Croatia participated in the Iraq International Conference held in Brussels on June 22, 2005, and offered 
3 

•SRES 342 ATS

to train and educate nationals of Iraq at universities in 

Croatia; 

Whereas Croatia is taking part in the training of Iraqi security forces at the International Training Center in Jordan and has offered to train additional security personnel 

for Iraq in Croatia; 

Whereas Croatia has been a partner in the war against terrorism, sent troops to Afghanistan as part of the NATOled International Security Assistance Force in support of 

the war against terrorism in 2002, and has provided civilians to staff the Provincial Reconstruction Team under 

the leadership of NATO in Fayzabad; 

Whereas, during July 2005, Croatia adopted a decision to triple its military presence in the International Security Assistance Force; 

Whereas Croatia has endorsed and is participating in the 

Proliferation Security Initiative with like-minded nations 

across the world to prevent the flow of weapons of mass 

destruction, missile systems, and related material; 

Whereas, on June 1, 2005, Croatia was the fourth nation to 

sign the Proliferation Security Initiative Shipboarding 

Agreement with the United States to prevent the maritime transfer of dangerous shipments of weapons or other 

illicit materials to keep such weapons and materials out 

of the hands of dangerous actors and terrorists; 

Whereas, since Croatia has become an independent country, 

the United States has shown support for Croatia in many 

ways, including by providing Croatia with economic and 

military assistance that has contributed significantly to 

the progress and continued success occurring in Croatia; 
4 

•SRES 342 ATS

Whereas the United States has encouraged Croatia’s transformation and the future membership of Croatia in 

NATO; 

Whereas a whole and free Europe cannot be fully achieved 

without the integration into NATO of all countries that 

share the common values of democracy, the rule of law, 

and respect for human rights; 

Whereas the Membership Action Plan developed for NATO, 

which was launched in April 1999, is a program of assistance that provides both goals and a roadmap for countries aspiring to membership in NATO; 

Whereas Croatia was invited into the Membership Action 

Plan in May 2002 and has made substantial progress toward the achievement of the reforms required for receiving an invitation to start accession talks with NATO; 

Whereas the United States, Croatia, Albania, and Macedonia 

are signatories to the United States-Adriatic Charter for 

Partnership, which promotes Euro-Atlantic integration 

and commits the signatory nations to the values and 

principles of NATO and to membership in NATO at the 

earliest possible time; 

Whereas Croatia supports regional cooperation as a means of 

bringing stability to Europe, particularly Southeast Europe, and has cooperated with the countries that neighbor 

Croatia to promote such stability, including providing 

technical and other assistance to countries that seek 

membership in the European Union; 

Whereas, on October 3, 2005, the European Union decided 

to open accession negotiations with Croatia based on the 

assessment of the European Union’s Council of Ministers 

that Croatia met the political and economic criteria for 
5 

•SRES 342 ATS

candidacy in the European Union, including that Croatia 

was fully cooperating with the International Criminal 

Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia; 

Whereas the cooperation between the Government of Croatia 

and the Tribunal improved significantly under Prime 

Minister Ivo Sanader; 

Whereas, since November 2003, Croatia has handed over to 

the Tribunal eleven individuals indicted for war crimes; 

Whereas the cooperation of the Government of Croatia with 

the Tribunal assisted in the arrest of Ante Gotovina on 

December 8, 2005, in Spain and his transfer to the Tribunal on December 10, 2005; 

Whereas the success of the Government of Croatia in bringing war criminals to justice demonstrates the commitment of the Government to move Croatia toward a 

brighter future of peace, stability, and prosperity for its 

people; and 

Whereas Croatia shares the common interests and values of 

the free and democratic world: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 (1) since the Republic of Croatia became an 

3 independent country, the Government and people of 

4 Croatia have made significant progress in strength5 ening democratic institutions, respect for human 

6 rights, and the rule of law in Croatia; 

7 (2) Croatia’s membership in the North Atlantic 

8 Treaty Organization (‘‘NATO’’) would contribute to 

9 stability in Southeast Europe; 
6 

•SRES 342 ATS

1 (3) it is the sense of the Senate that— 

2 (A) the Government and people of Croatia 

3 should be commended for their progress on pro4 tecting minority rights in Croatia, progress to5 ward achieving the political, economic, military, 

6 and other requirements of NATO’s Membership 

7 Action Plan, contribution to the International 

8 Security Assistance Force and the war against 

9 terrorism, and for their constructive participa10 tion in the Proliferation Security Initiative and 

11 in the United States-Adriatic Charter; 

12 (B) the Government of Croatia should be 

13 commended for its cooperation with the Inter14 national Criminal Tribunal for the former 

15 Yugoslavia which led to the apprehension and 

16 transfer of several individuals indicted for war 

17 crimes, including Ante Gotovina, to the Tri18 bunal; 

19 (C) the Government of Croatia should con20 tinue its cooperation with the Tribunal; 

21 (D) the Government of Croatia should con22 tinue and strengthen its role as a partner on 

23 nonproliferation and its support in the war 

24 against terrorism and in Iraq; 
7 

•SRES 342 ATS

1 (E) the Government of Croatia should con2 tinue its efforts to implement defense reforms; 

3 and 

4 (F) the Government of the United States 

5 should continue and increase its defense and se6 curity cooperation with the Government of Cro7 atia, including through education, training, and 

8 technical cooperation, to assist Croatia in the 

9 reform process and in fulfilling its requirements 

10 for membership in NATO; and 

11 (4) upon complete satisfaction of the criteria 

12 for NATO membership, in accordance with NATO’s 

13 guidelines, Croatia should be invited to be a full 

14 member of NATO at the earliest possible date. 

Æ