NATO OFFICIALS SAY "TAMING DRAGON" EXERCISE IS VERY SUCCESSFUL

BASKO POLJE, May 24 (Hina) - A three-day protection and rescue exercise, "Taming the Dragon - Dalmatia 2002", which started on Wednesday morning in the wider area of Makarska, has so far been very successful for NATO, NATO official Lars Goran Schnell said on Thursday.#L# The deputy Secretary General for security, logistics and civil issues, Juan Martinez Esparaza, said he was thrilled with the organisation and competence of Croatian hosts. The exercise has confirmed a higher level of security in the region, he said. The international civilian-military exercise is part of NATO's programme for this year and the largest exercise of the kind held in Europe so far. This is the first NATO and Partnership for Peace ground exercise in a Partnership for Peace member-country. The exercise includes four groups of protection and rescue operations: putting out open area fires, mountain rescue operations, ruins search and rescue, and rescue operations on the water. Around 1,200 people from 14 states, 250 vehicles, six planes, eight helicopters, two pilotless aircraft, one navy ship and around ten boats participated in the exercise, organised by the Croatian Interior Ministry, with the support of the Defence and Foreign Affairs Ministries, NATO, the U.N. and the Stability Pact for South-East Europe. (hina) it