MOST MPS OPPOSE SLOVENE ARMY EXERCISE NEAR SLUNJ

ZAGREB, Oct 9 (Hina) - The Slovene army can be allowed to practice cannon shooting in Croatia only if the target is its barracks on the occupied Mt. Sveta Gera, Tonci Tadic of the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) said in parliament on Thursday slamming the government's proposal that the Slovene army be permitted to carry out an exercise near Slunj in central Croatia. #L# "This is the culmination of political masochism of this government," said Tadic on behalf of the HSP/Croatian Christian Democratic Union club of deputies, calling on MPs to oppose what he called the leasing of Croatian territory to a country which had occupied part of Croatia's territory on Mt. Sveta Gera in western Croatia. Other clubs of deputies believe, too, that Croatia must not place its territory at the disposal of other countries for purposes of military exercises which are not within NATO or Partnership for Peace programmes. Although they pointed to the need to develop good neighbourly relations with Slovenia, MPs opposed the proposal, warning that there was a number of other open issues in relations with Slovenia, from the expansion of jurisdiction in the Adriatic to border disputes. Ivic Pasalic of the Croatian Bloc believes that the government should withdraw what he described as an insulting and misplaced proposal, because the parliament should deal with more important issues, such as "the prosecution of Homeland War hero Ante Gotovina, on whose head the United States has put a reward of five million dollars". The government's proposal was also opposed by Damir Kajin of the Istrian Democratic Assembly. Croatia should send Slovenia a signal that it is ready for dialogue and the solution of open issues, but this cannot be done by allowing the Slovene army to perform exercises in Croatia, he said. Zlatko Kramaric of the Liberal Party proposed postponing the exercise at Slunj saying that there were more important issues regarding relations with Slovenia to discuss. Only the Social Democrats supported the proposal, stating that the exercise at Slunj was important for the development of international cooperation and would contribute to stability and security in this part of Europe. Deputy Defence Minister Zlatko Gareljic said that Croatia would not contribute to solving open issues in relations with Slovenia by opening new ones. He pointed to an intensive and good defence cooperation with the Slovene army, which he said this exercise would further improve. (hina) rml