PARLIAMENTARY VICE PRESIDENT RECEIVES NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL

SABOR VICE PRESIDENT RECEIVES NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL ZAGREB, June 24 (Hina) - Croatian parliamentary Vice President and president of the parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs Zdravko Tomac on Monday received NATO Secretary-General George Robertson who was on a visit to Zagreb as part of a two-day NATO conference, the parliamentary president's office reported. #L# According to an initial plan, Robertson was to have been received by parliamentary president Zlatko Tomcic who was prevented from attending due to interior matters. Tomac stressed that political forces in Croatia were harmonised with regard to foreign policy objectives - full membership to NATO and the European Union. He said that the Croatian parliament adopted an entire series of legal tools that will enable the re- structure of the armed forces in Croatia and that their legal basis was compatible with NATO's system, the statement said. NATO membership is given to countries and not only governments and as such it is up to the entire country to give its support in realising this objective. The parliament has an indispensable role in accession and explaining to the domestic public, all the advantages and obligations that membership to NATO can bring, Robertson emphasised. (hina) sp sb