ZAGREB, 1 March 2022 - Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman held talks with his Norwegian counterpart Anniken Huitfeldt in Oslo on Tuesday on bilateral relations, the situation in the Western Balkans and the Russian aggression against Ukraine.
The ministers agreed the bilateral cooperation is developed in many areas, but that there is potential to intensify it, notably in energy, green energy, sustainable development, island development, and ship building, the Croatian ministry said in a press release.
Croatia strongly supports the European prospects of Western Balkan countries and believes that an individual approach to each country is the only proper way in the enlargement process, Grlić Radman said.
The prolonged political crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina can directly impact stability and security in this part of Europe, he said, adding that changing the electoral law is a key reform that can protect BiH's stability and functioning.
The two ministers condemned the Russian military aggression against Ukraine, saying it is unprecedented and unjustified as well as an aggression against peace and the international order.
"At this serious moment in our history, our unity is of crucial importance. Only together and in coordination with our transatlantic partners can we find a way to overcome these challenges. We stand in full solidarity with Ukraine and strongly support its territorial integrity and sovereignty," said Grlić Radman, who was on an official visit to Norway.
He said Croatia was ready, as a country which passed through the horrors of war in the early 1990s, to extend humanitarian and technical assistance to Ukraine.
Grlić Radman also met with Ine Eriksen Søreide, chair of the Norwegian parliament's foreign affairs and defence committee. They discussed the possibilities of strengthening parliamentary cooperation and current security challenges.
Last month Croatia and Norway marked 30 years of diplomatic relations and Grlić Radman thanked Norway for the support to Croatia on its NATO and EU journeys.
He also attended a panel at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs on the 30 years of diplomatic relations.
