Croatia Welcomes UN Security Council Membership

Congrats, Croatia: You've just moved one step closer toward cozying up with your future cronies - that top-drawer group we call 'The West.'

Croatia was awarded a seat in the venerable U.N. Security Council Tuesday as a non-permanent member. The powerful U.N. body has only five permanent members and only 10 two-year term positions, making Croatia's accession not insignificant. Though Croatia's company - including new non-permanent members Libya, Vietnam, Burkina Faso (who?) and Costa Rica - may not be the most historically steady, officials were quick to point out Croatia's own progress. Considered a 'trouble spot' just 15 years ago, the country is now being accepted as part of the West.

"It is the highest moment in Croatia's international position since its international recognition (in 1992)," Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said. "It is an honor for Croatia to turn from a crisis area to co-participant in deciding about other crisis spots in the world in such a short period of time."

Indeed, Croatia itself was on the agenda of the U.N. Security Council and a topic of several of its resolutions for almost a decade, beginning in 1991 when the country found itself fighting with its rebel Serbs, who opposed Croatia's independence from the former Yugoslavia. Though internationally recognized as a country in 1992, the war persisted until 1995 and Croatia continued to be isolated by the West until 2000 because of its nationalist policies. Following a change in government and policy, Croatia has since then moved closer to achieving its goal of joining the West. Currently a candidate for EU membership, Croatia will likely be the next country admitted into the exclusive club once its meets the EU's requirements. Neighbour Slovenia's upcoming EU presidency should bolster its chances if not hasten them. And an invitation to join NATO may be in the cards as soon as next year. Take that Burkina Faso!