GEN. PALMER: SFOR WILL ACT DECENTLY IN CROATIA

ZAGREB, June 26 (Hina) - The NATO-led Stabilisation Force (SFOR) is determined to show decent behaviour in accordance with Croatian law, and incidents like the recent one when an SFOR helicopter landed near Dubrovnik without previous announcement will not recur, SFOR Deputy Commander, General Major Anthony Palmer said on Wednesday. #L# Palmer held a meeting with Tomislav Vidosevic, the head of the Croatian government's office for cooperation with international institutions in Zagreb. On behalf of SFOR commander, Palmer thanked Vidosevic for the assistance Croatia had offered in the past years to the NATO-led peace keepers, deployed in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Asked by reporters whether he and his host Vidosevic discussed the Dubrovnik incident, Palmer said SFOR was resolved to act decently in Croatia. All soldiers have been given instructions to act in accordance with rules and to respect Croatian laws, Palmer said. Disagreement has happened, but it will not recur, he added. Vidosevic told reporters that they had discussed possibilities for ensuring that the current tourist season might proceed with no incidents. He said they had considered possibilities for investing joint efforts to remove any possible problems on Croatian roads, avoid low flights of helicopters over beaches and anything which might hit the front-pages of papers during the summer season. Palmer and Vidosevic also discussed possibilities for enhancing cooperation. Asked by reporters whether SFOR would help in fighting possible forest fires in Croatia, Palmer said SFOR would certainly help if fires broke out and if they were called to help. (hina) ms