CROATIAN, HUNGARIAN DEFENCE MINISTRIES POSITIVELY ON COOPERATION

ZAGREB, April 24 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Minister Zeljka Antunovic on Monday received her Hungarian counterpart Juhasz Ferenc. The two ministers stressed that Croatia and Hungary had excellent bilateral relations. #L# "Croatia and Hungary do not have open issues in any filed, including defence," the Croatian minister said. Antunovic said that she and her Hungarian counterpart exchanged information, standpoints and experience and discussed reforms in defence systems in both countries. "We agreed that we share common goals and that we wish to create which will be trained to participate in joint defence systems," Antunovic said and added the talks also focused on the Iraqi crisis. Antunovic said that the two countries harmonised their standpoints and that they wished and were obliged to join in the support of peace and security in Iraq and the establishment of democracy and the protection of human rights in that country. The Croatian minister said it was important to advance military cooperation between the two countries, but also multilateral regional cooperation within the frameworks of the so-called Quadrilateral which comprises Italy, Slovenia, Hungary and Croatia. "We entirely wish to join the defence system with a multilateral brigade and we have Hungary's support", Antunovic said. The Hungarian defence minister said that both countries appreciated same values and added that extremely good relations between the two countries had elements of strategic partnership which was developing. "Peace in Europe is in our vital interest so that our countries can develop in a peaceful atmosphere," the Hungarian minister said. He added that Hungary would share with Croatia its experiences in reforming armed forces and stressed that his country was interested in seeing Croatia as a NATO and EU member country as soon as possible. (hina) it sb