NATIONAL SECURITY COMMITTEE POSITIVELY ASSESSES SITUATION IN ARMY

ZAGREB, Feb 6 (Hina) - The parliament's Committee on Internal Affairs and National Security on Thursday stated that the situation in the Defence Ministry and the Armed Forces met the country's defence requirements. #L# Based on a report on the situation in the army, submitted on Wednesday by Defence Minister Zeljka Antunovic, the committee assessed that the armed forces were able and equipped to perform any defence activity required to preserve the country's survival and independence as well as to participate in peace operations abroad, committee chairman Ante Markov reported after a session of the committee. "All doubts and speculations about the situation in the Croatian army have been removed," Markov said. He added that the committee fully supported the ministry and the army main staff in implementing, fully and without delay, reorganisation activities in keeping with the set deadlines, and in providing for surplus personnel. The Croatian Party of Rights (HSP)/Croatian Christian Democratic Union (HKDU) bench last week requested the committee to hold a session due to newspaper headlines and anonymous letters by Croatian officers. The session, which started yesterday, was closed to the public and virtually all MPs were in attendance. (hina) sp rml sb