CROATIAN DELEGATION IN NATO HEADQUARTERS

BRUSSELS, March 3 (Hina) - A Croatian delegation headed by Assistant Defence Minister Jelena Grcic-Polic on Monday visited NATO headquarters in Brussels and met with representatives of the North Atlantic Alliance to speak about Croatia's preparations for membership of NATO. #L# The delegation spoke with representatives of 19 NATO member countries about Croatia's achievements in planning and financing armed forces with special emphasis on the programme to cut back on staff, the Croatian Mission to NATO told Hina on Monday evening. The source said that financial implication to modernise Croatia's armed forces were discussed at the meeting. NATO wished to assess whether the trend in developments in Croatia's armed forces - in the short-term until 2005 and long-term 2015 - would enable compatibility and operationality with NATO forces, the source said. The Croatian delegation spoke with NATO representatives about Croatia's participation in NATO peace operations, the source added. Representatives of 19 member countries unanimously welcomed Croatia's progress in reforms in the armed forces and offered its support to further reforms, the source reported. (Hina) sp it