CROATIAN SOLDIERS WILL CONTINUE MISSION IN SIERRA LEONE

ZAGREB, Oct 10 (Hina) - At a closed-door session on Friday the Croatian government decided to continue participation of Croatian military observers in the UN peace mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL). #L# Ten members of the Croatian Armed Forces will be sent on the mission in Sierra Leone. The government also decided to send three members of the Armed Forces to Liberia, where they will participate in the provision of humanitarian assistance. The government forwarded to parliament a draft decision on the Croatian-American military exercise "Adriatic Phiblex 04-2 Engineerex", which should be held between 15 February and 30 June 2004 near the central town of Slunj. Members of the government were informed about the fulfilment of obligations from the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between Croatia and the European Communities and their member- countries. The government discussed the implementation of measures from the Plan on the Implementation of the SAA for the period June-December 2003, the government's public relations office stated. It also gave consent for changes to the statute of the Mine Action Centre. The government passed a decision on changes to the CARDS programme for 2001 adopting a decision by the European Commission on the implementation of the agreement on the financing of CARDS programmes in 2001, which prolongs the deadline for the conclusion of project contracts from 31 December 2003 to 31 December 2004, and the deadline for all payments regarding concluded contracts from 31 December 2004 to 31 December 2005. The government also adopted a decision by the EC to replace a project of technical support in the reconstruction of the power supply system in Ernestinovo, which is part of the 2001 CARDS programme, as well as the regional CARDS programme for 2003 and the signing of a letter on the allocation of programmes. (hina) rml