Mandate of OSCE Mission to Croatia extended to 31 December 2004

ZAGREB, 18 December 2003 - The OSCE Permanent Council has extended today the mandate of the OSCE Mission to Croatia until 31 December 2004. It also gave full support to the Mission's report on Croatia and its principal findings.

The OSCE Chairmanship, the presidency of the European Union, the United States, as well as other delegations stressed the need for Croatia to take the opportunity to further improve the conditions for the return of refugees, to fully implement the Constitutional Law on the Rights of National Minorities, to complete the judicial reform, and to co-operate fully with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.

Presenting the conclusion of the latest Mission's report on Croatia, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Croatia, Ambassador Peter Semneby said that the Mission looked forward to working with the new Government in the areas related to the OSCE mandate and in support of Croatia's EU aspirations.

The Head of the European Commission's delegation to Croatia, Jacques Wunenburger, also addressed the Council.

The mandate of the OSCE Mission to Croatia includes providing assistance and expertise to the Croatian authorities in the fields of human rights and rights of national minorities, advising on the full implementation of legislation and monitoring the proper functioning and development of democratic institutions in order to promote reconciliation, the rule of law and conformity with internationally recognized standards.

The Mission is also mandated to assist and monitor the implementation of Croatian legislation and international commitments on the two-way return of all refugees and displaced persons and on the protection of their rights.