Caspian Energy (CE): Your Excellency, how do you evaluate development of relations of Croatia with Azerbaijan and Turkey?

Dražen Hrastić, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Croatia to Turkey, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan: Croatia has developed strong relations and strategic partnership with both Azerbaijan and Turkey. Besides historical ties, particularly with Turkey and similar challenges we have been facing with there is huge potential and interest for further development of bilateral cooperation as well cooperation in the multilateral framework. There has been regular political dialog between our countries at the highest level, diverse cultural exchange, scientific cooperation and most importantly people to people contacts. In this context we are putting a lot of efforts in bringing people from Azerbaijan and Turkey to Croatia and vice versa. We are blessed by coming from countries with extraordinary natural beauty, loaded with history and cultural heritage so we shall enable our people to enjoy it as tourists as friends. Also, we shall use all available multilateral formats for further development of the collaboration in all areas of common interest particularly within the EU, NATO, UN and OSCE. The energy security and a diversification of energy resources are among core issues in protecting our national interests as well as common goals of our partners and allies so this is and will increasingly be one of the key areas of cooperation among our countries.