CROATIA EXPECTS TO JOIN NATO'S MEMBERSHIP ACTION PLAN

ZAGREB, March 6 (Hina) - Croatia could join the Membership Action Plan (MAP), NATO's programme for countries aspiring to become part of the alliance, Hina learned from diplomatic sources on Wednesday. It is expected Croatia will be invited to join MAP at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Reykyavik, Iceland, in May, a source from the Croatian Foreign Ministry told Hina. Implementation of MAP, which is a sort of preparation for full membership in NATO, should begin in September, the source added. In MAP, Croatia would join the other V-10 Vilinuis Group members who also seek to join NATO - Albania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Macedonia. The V-10 foreign ministers, including Croatia's Tonino Picula, will meet in Skopje, Macedonia, on Thursday and Friday to discuss a strategy for approaching NATO. The foreign ministers of Poland and Turkey, and senior representatives of the US, Greece, Hungary, and the Czech Republic should also attend the Skopje meeting. NATO launched MAP in April 1999 to offer aspiring countries advice and support. Nine candidates which established the Vilnius Group in May 2000 by signing a joint statement have already joined MAP. Croatia became a full member of the group in May 2001. By joining MAP it would take another step closer to full NATO membership. Aspiring members are expected to step up the interoperability between their forces and NATO, establish civilian control over the armed forces, and ensure a transparent defence system. To that end the Croatian government has drawn up a defence bill, as well as national security and defence strategies, which are currently in parliamentary procedure. (hina) ha sb