ZAGREB/LJUBLJANA, May 22 (Hina) - Croatia and Slovenia have very extensive military co-operation and mutual military relations between the two countries are the most developed in the region, Croatian Army (HV) chief-of-staff Petar
Stipetic said on Wednesday following talks with Slovene counterpart Ladislav Lipic.
ZAGREB/LJUBLJANA, May 22 (Hina) - Croatia and Slovenia have very
extensive military co-operation and mutual military relations
between the two countries are the most developed in the region,
Croatian Army (HV) chief-of-staff Petar Stipetic said on Wednesday
following talks with Slovene counterpart Ladislav Lipic. #L#
"Along with the United States, Croatia has a very wide military co-
operation with Slovenia," Stipetic said. He noted that today's
talks referred to the situation in the region from the aspect of
security, and that information was exchanged about the situation in
the military in the two countries. Croatia presented its programme
of HV reorganisation.
Slovenia supports Croatia in implementing NATO's Partnership for
Peace programmes, said Stipetic. Now that it has been accepted to
the Membership Action Plan (MAP), Croatia expects that by "using
Slovenia's experiences, where the third MAP programme is being
implemented, (Croatia) will use anything that is worthwhile," he
added.
MAP, to which Croatia was officially accepted on May 14, is a
programme for potential candidates which encompasses harmonising
standards and criteria to NATO member countries on the political,
economic, legal, security and military plans.
During today's talks, support was expressed for the Croatian army's
joining of the trilateral brigade that Slovenia is forming with
members of the Italian and Hungarian armies, General Lipic said.
He is convinced that Slovenia's positive opinion for Croatia to
access that formation will help Croatia when the political decision
on this matter needs to be brought.
Lipic added the talks also addressed concrete forms of co-
operation. Slovenia offered its assistance in education programmes
in the centre for foreign languages that exists within the Slovene
army.
Lipic, who met briefly with Croatia's Defence Minister Jozo Rados
earlier today, also spoke with Croatian President Stjepan Mesic. In
parliament he met with the chairwoman of the security committee,
Djurdja Adlesic.
On Thursday the Slovene military delegation is to visit the VI Corps
Region in Varazdin.
(hina) sp sb