ANNUAL REPORT ON EXPORT AND IMPORT OF MILITARY GOODS AND NON-MILITARY LETHAL GOODS IN 2009 4. <strong>Export</strong> C<strong>on</strong>trol System Procedures 16
ANNUAL REPORT ON EXPORT AND IMPORT OF MILITARY GOODS AND NON-MILITARY LETHAL GOODS IN 2009 5. Cooperati<strong>on</strong> in <strong>Export</strong> C<strong>on</strong>trol 5.1. Internati<strong>on</strong>al Cooperati<strong>on</strong> Internati<strong>on</strong>al cooperati<strong>on</strong>, as an integral element <strong>of</strong> foreign <strong>and</strong> security policy <strong>of</strong> the Republic <strong>of</strong> Croatia, is developing <strong>and</strong> being implemented within the framework specified by the Program <strong>of</strong> the Government <strong>of</strong> the Republic <strong>of</strong> Croatia for the 2009 – 2011 M<strong>and</strong>ate, the Nati<strong>on</strong>al Security Strategy <strong>of</strong> the Republic <strong>of</strong> Croatia, <strong>and</strong> the guidelines <strong>and</strong> decisi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>of</strong> the President <strong>of</strong> the Republic, the Croatian Parliament, <strong>and</strong> the Government <strong>of</strong> the Republic <strong>of</strong> Croatia. In the course <strong>of</strong> 2009, internati<strong>on</strong>al cooperati<strong>on</strong> was focused <strong>on</strong> intensifying the efforts aimed at NATO membership <strong>and</strong> EU accessi<strong>on</strong>. Up<strong>on</strong> gaining membership in NATO, the focus <strong>of</strong> activities shifted towards full integrati<strong>on</strong>, articulati<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> implementati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> credible, c<strong>on</strong>structive <strong>and</strong> proactive participati<strong>on</strong> in all the relevant processes, in particular those in the direct nati<strong>on</strong>al interest. In additi<strong>on</strong> to that, the priority remained to c<strong>on</strong>duct all the activities aimed at the implementati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> restrictive measures, <strong>and</strong> at improving <strong>and</strong> promoting internati<strong>on</strong>al <strong>and</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>al stability <strong>and</strong> security. In the sphere <strong>of</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>al cooperati<strong>on</strong>, the emphasis was placed <strong>on</strong> the implementati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> bilateral activities involving the neighboring countries, <strong>and</strong> <strong>on</strong> the overall regi<strong>on</strong>al cooperati<strong>on</strong> with the purpose <strong>of</strong> strengthening mutual trust <strong>and</strong> regi<strong>on</strong>al security. In the sphere <strong>of</strong> c<strong>on</strong>trol <strong>of</strong> weap<strong>on</strong>s <strong>of</strong> mass destructi<strong>on</strong>, the Republic <strong>of</strong> Croatia has been implementing all <strong>of</strong> its obligati<strong>on</strong>s stemming from universal treaties <strong>and</strong> c<strong>on</strong>venti<strong>on</strong>s in a c<strong>on</strong>sistent manner, including informal regimes. A bilateral workshop <strong>on</strong> the development <strong>of</strong> the nati<strong>on</strong>al strategy against the proliferati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> weap<strong>on</strong>s <strong>of</strong> mass destructi<strong>on</strong> was organized, in cooperati<strong>on</strong> with the United States. The Inter-ministerial Working Group, established by the Decisi<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> the Government <strong>of</strong> the Republic <strong>of</strong> Croatia, began drafting the Nati<strong>on</strong>al Strategy <strong>and</strong> Acti<strong>on</strong> Plan against the proliferati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> weap<strong>on</strong>s <strong>of</strong> mass destructi<strong>on</strong>. The Republic <strong>of</strong> Croatia is c<strong>on</strong>sistently implementing its obligati<strong>on</strong>s stemming from the Ottawa C<strong>on</strong>venti<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> the prohibiti<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> anti-pers<strong>on</strong>nel mines, <strong>and</strong> from the C<strong>on</strong>venti<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> Certain C<strong>on</strong>venti<strong>on</strong>al Weap<strong>on</strong>s (CCCW) with its five Protocols; in additi<strong>on</strong> to that, the country also actively participated in negotiati<strong>on</strong>s regarding the adopti<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> Protocol VI <strong>on</strong> the ban <strong>of</strong> cluster muniti<strong>on</strong>s. On the basis <strong>of</strong> the progress achieved in demining <strong>of</strong> the territory <strong>of</strong> the Republic <strong>of</strong> Croatia, the UN Secretary General <strong>and</strong> parties to the Ottawa C<strong>on</strong>venti<strong>on</strong> have formally agreed to extend the deadline for demining all known mine suspected areas in Croatia by 10 years, until 2019. In June 2009, the Croatian Parliament reached the Law <strong>on</strong> the C<strong>on</strong>firmati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> the C<strong>on</strong>venti<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> Cluster Muniti<strong>on</strong>s. The ratificati<strong>on</strong> process was completed in August, as the Instrument <strong>of</strong> Ratificati<strong>on</strong> was delivered to the depositary – the UN Secretary General. In additi<strong>on</strong> to Croatia, 37 countries have ratified this c<strong>on</strong>venti<strong>on</strong> so far. The c<strong>on</strong>venti<strong>on</strong> entered into force <strong>on</strong> August 1, 2010, six m<strong>on</strong>ths up<strong>on</strong> the ratificati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> the thirtieth state. Croatia is str<strong>on</strong>gly supporting the inclusi<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> as many countries as possible in this process, given the exposure <strong>of</strong> the country itself to cluster muniti<strong>on</strong>s during the Homel<strong>and</strong> War. Through the ratificati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> the C<strong>on</strong>venti<strong>on</strong>, the Republic <strong>of</strong> Croatia undertook the obligati<strong>on</strong> not to produce, use or export cluster muniti<strong>on</strong>s, as well as the obligati<strong>on</strong> to destroy all the existing stockpiles within 8 years. In October 2009, the representatives <strong>of</strong> the Ministry <strong>of</strong> Ec<strong>on</strong>omy, Labor <strong>and</strong> Entrepreneurship, the Ministry <strong>of</strong> Foreign Affairs <strong>and</strong> European Integrati<strong>on</strong>, the Ministry <strong>of</strong> Interior, <strong>and</strong> the Ministry <strong>of</strong> Finance - Customs Administrati<strong>on</strong> participated at the tenth internati<strong>on</strong>al c<strong>on</strong>ference <strong>on</strong> export c<strong>on</strong>trol <strong>of</strong> weap<strong>on</strong>s <strong>and</strong> dual-use goods, held in Istanbul (Turkey). The c<strong>on</strong>ference brought together experts from the entire world, focused <strong>on</strong> export c<strong>on</strong>trol <strong>of</strong> weap<strong>on</strong>s <strong>and</strong> dual-use goods, <strong>and</strong> it provided the state <strong>of</strong>ficials <strong>and</strong> civil servants with the opportunity to exchange experiences <strong>and</strong> evaluate current affairs, while aiming to develop mechanisms for the improvement <strong>of</strong> export c<strong>on</strong>trol systems. The republic <strong>of</strong> Croatia is also actively involved in activities implemented by the South Eastern <strong>and</strong> Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the C<strong>on</strong>trol <strong>of</strong> Small Arms <strong>and</strong> Light Weap<strong>on</strong>s (SEESAC). It is worth pointing out that the Republic <strong>of</strong> Croatia will c<strong>on</strong>tinue to actively participate in meetings <strong>of</strong> the representatives <strong>of</strong> countries in the regi<strong>on</strong> regarding the issues pertaining to the trade in arms <strong>and</strong> military equipment, with the aim <strong>of</strong> sharing its experiences in this sphere, in particular when it comes to the applicati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> new legislati<strong>on</strong>. That is all the more important given the fact that Croatia is currently the <strong>on</strong>ly country in this part <strong>of</strong> the regi<strong>on</strong> that is a member <strong>of</strong> the Wassenaar Arrangement (the internati<strong>on</strong>al regime for the c<strong>on</strong>trol <strong>of</strong> c<strong>on</strong>venti<strong>on</strong>al arms <strong>and</strong> dual-use goods) as <strong>of</strong> June 2005, having in mind that virtually all the countries <strong>of</strong> the regi<strong>on</strong> have expressed the desire to become members <strong>of</strong> the Arrangement. 5. Cooperati<strong>on</strong> in <strong>Export</strong> C<strong>on</strong>trol 17
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