OSCE decides to close Mission to Croatia, replaces it with Office in Zagreb

ZAGREB, 24 December 2007 - The OSCE Mission to Croatia will close on 31 December but the Organization will maintain a presence in the country with an Office in Zagreb to monitor war crimes trials and report on residual aspects of the implementation of the housing care programmes.

The decision to formally close the Mission after eleven years was taken at Friday's Permanent Council in Vienna by all of the 56 OSCE participating States, including Croatia. It was based on the assessment that Croatia's progress related to the country's fulfillment of international commitments as foreseen by the Mission mandate has been evident and that Croatia has successfully dealt with most of the issues contained in the broad mandate under which the Mission had been operating.

The Permanent Council also agreed that as of 1 January 2008, the OSCE will have an Office in Zagreb to work with the Government and other Croatian institutions on completing some outstanding issues related to war crimes trials and report on the remaining aspects of the implementation of the Government's Housing Care Programmes.

The Head of the Mission, Ambassador Jorge Fuentes, said that the completion of the Mission mandate was possible due to reinforcement of the Croatian institutions, Electoral Reform, Constitutional Court, Ombudsman, minority rights and the return and integration of refugees.

"The Mission's good co-operation with the Croatian Government and the Government's efforts and motivation to fulfil its commitments are a true and genuine success, and I would like to congratulate Croatia on this achievement," Fuentes said.