April, 12, 2005

Ms Kathleen Stephens

Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs

2201 C Street NW

Washington, DC 20520

Dear Ms Stephens,

I am writing to you to express the concern of the National Federation of Croatian Americans with the recent announcement of the establishment in Belgrade of a “government-in-exile” for the Republika Srpska Krajina (RSK), the Milosevic-dominated statelet which had existed on occupied Croatian territory during the 1991-95 Balkan war. The establishment of such a “government”, allegedly with the backing of the Serbian Radical Party (SRP), is a direct affront on Croatian sovereignty and calls into question the intentions of the Serbian government.

We note that the SRP, the largest political party in Serbia, has not disavowed its long range goal to create a Greater Serbia. The formation of a “government-in-exile is a step openly taken to fulfill that goal We further note that the formation of this entity also has as its purpose to portray Serbia as the victim of the wars in former Yugoslavia when in fact it was the aggressor. Indeed, it was the RSK which first carried out ethnic cleansing against non-Serbs, a tactic repeated by its sister entity in neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina.

As you are aware, relations between Croatia and Serbia have steadily improved over the past few years. However, allowing the RSK to have a badge of legitimacy threatens to harm these relations and, moreover, may lead to other disruptive influences in the region.

This recent event underscores the importance that NATO membership has for Croatia as well as NATO members. NATO membership will work to assure Croatia and its citizens that despite saber-rattling from Belgrade, the threat of invasion by a neighboring state will be greatly diminished. At the same time, Croatia's membership in NATO will provide further testimony to Serbia that heading down the road of democratization and respect for other peoples and states will lead to its integration into the Western alliance as well. The United States and its allies will also benefit from Croatia's membership since it will bring further stability in the area.

We ask that the United States protest the establishment of the RSK “government” and take the foregoing matters into account in its consideration of Croatia's desire to join NATO .

Sincerely,

Edward A. Andrus, President

National Federation of Croatian Americans

cc:

Mr. Robert Zoellick, Deputy Secretary of State

Mr. R. Nicholas Burns, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs