WASHINGTON, Jan 10 (Hina) - The Croatian Armed Forces Chief of Staff, General Josip Lucic, said in Washington on Friday that military cooperation between Croatia and the United States was very good and that Croatia had the "absolute
support" of the US in its efforts to join NATO.
WASHINGTON, Jan 10 (Hina) - The Croatian Armed Forces Chief of Staff,
General Josip Lucic, said in Washington on Friday that military
cooperation between Croatia and the United States was very good and
that Croatia had the "absolute support" of the US in its efforts to
join NATO.#L#
Lucic was heading a Croatian military delegation on a seven-day
official visit at the invitation of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff of the US Armed Forces, General Richard Myers. The visit
concludes on Saturday.
During his visit to the Pentagon on Thursday, Lucic met Myers and
Army, National Guard and Marine commanders for talks on military
cooperation.
"Our cooperation so far has been very good and all elements indicate
that this will continue so," Lucic told a press conference on Friday.
Myers presented Lucic with a high award, the Legion of Merit, awarded
by US President George W. Bush, for the transformation of the Croatian
military on its path to NATO, constructive relations between the
Croatian and US armed forces, and Croatia's contribution to the fight
against global terrorism, particularly in Afghanistan.
The Croatian delegation and Croatian diplomatic circles in Washington
described the top-level meeting, the constructive talks and the high
award as a very positive signal showing that the US was counting on
Croatia as an important military partner, especially in Southeast
Europe.
Lucic said he regarded the award as a recognition of the reforms in
the Croatian armed forces according to standards of NATO which Croatia
aspires to join. The political and military support of the United
States will be crucial to Croatia on the road to NATO membership.
"As for the organisation, training and readiness of the armed forces,
we have the absolute support of the American side," Lucic said.
The US has been sending mixed signals to Croatia regarding military
aid and cooperation. In the middle of last year, it decided to suspend
military assistance to Croatia, as well as to a number of other
nations, because of its failure to sign an agreement on the
non-extradition of Americans to the International Criminal Court.
At the same time the US strongly supported Croatia's efforts to join
NATO as part of the American-Adriatic Charter, which also covers
Albania and Macedonia.
Asked to assess the US military assistance to Croatia, Lucic said that
there had been no major change in the cooperation since the US decided
to discontinue aid.
"Our domain is a training and education system and joint military
exercises, and there have been no significant limitations in that
field," he said.
According to Pentagon sources, during the meeting with Lucic, Myers
stressed that Croatia was an example of stability and cooperation in
the Balkans. He said that the US expected Croatia to continue reforms
in its armed forces and to strengthen its ties with the US and Europe,
adding that it was in the interests of both countries for Croatia to
develop its military potential for use in NATO missions.
Myers went on to say that the US appreciated Croatia's sending a
military police platoon to Afghanistan and that Croatia's support to
American efforts in Iraq and deployment of its troops there would be
welcome.
Asked to comment on this statement, Lucic said that deployment of
Croatian troops in Iraq was "absolutely a political issue that falls
within the authority of the Croatian government."
He added that the Croatian Army would be capable of carrying out such
a mission should the government and parliament decide so. "We are
confident that we have achieved the required level of capability to be
a good partner in operations outside the country."
Lucic also visited the US Armed Forces Central Command in Miami Beach,
Florida, and other operations and training centres.
He said that Croatia would implement the Myers 2000 system in 2004 as
a form of US military assistance to raise the quality of military
training. He also said that Croatia could use the American experience
in organising the Coast Guard.
(Hina) vm