February 19, 1993 (34th Parliament, 3rd Session)

Mr. Don Blenkam (Mississauga South):

Madam Speaker, over one year ago the government recognized Croatia as an independent state, but the government has yet to initiate diplomatic relations despite the fact that the government maintains a consulate in Zagreb.
The House will know that the consulate in Zagreb is a consulate to the embassy in Belgrade and a virtual state of war exists between Croatia and Serbia.
I call upon the minister of external relations to immediately open diplomatic relations with Croatia, to make our consulate in Zagreb an embassy, and to quit the pretence that Zagreb is really a consulate for our embassy that deals with the Republic of Yugoslavia which for all intents and purposes no longer exists.