DEPUTY MINISTER, NATO REP VISIT UNITS TAKING PART IN "COOPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT" EXERCISE

SPLIT, Sept 17 (Hina) - Commander Allied Naval Forces Southern Europe, Vice-Admiral Ferdinando Sanfelice di Monteforte, and Croatian Deputy Defence Minister Zlatko Gareljic on Wednesday visited the units and reviewed the equipment, ships and aircraft participating in NATO's naval exercise "Cooperative Engagement" at Split's naval port of Lora and Resnik airport. #L# Di Monteforte told reporters after the visit that the exercise, the central part of which will be held near the island of Hvar on September 19, was the first NATO exercise in which Croatian naval and air forces were participating on an equal basis. The aim of the exercise is anti-mine action and search and rescue operations at sea after a terrorist attack on a ferry. The NATO official described participation of Croatian forces in demanding preparations for the exercise, which lasted almost a year, as very positive. Exercises like this one adjust communication and command standards of participating countries to NATO's and prepare them for joint action in crisis situations, he said. Croatia is a candidate for full NATO membership and so far has been adjusting to the alliance's standards successfully, Gareljic said. Speaking about the equipment of the fleet, Gareljic said that the Croatian Navy met NATO standards. The exercise, which is held every two years in a different host country, this year includes 13 countries: NATO members Belgium, France, Greece and Italy, partner-countries and members of Partnership for Peace - Albania, Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Latvia, Romania, Slovenia, and Croatia, as well as Algeria, as a member of the Mediterranean Dialogue. More than 500 people, 10 ships and five aircraft are taking part in the exercise. (hina) rml