LJUBLJANA, Nov 23 (Hina) - The decision of NATO member-countries to invite Slovenia to join them is a historic event, Slovene Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek said after meeting US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld, who paid a short
visit to Ljubljana on Saturday.
LJUBLJANA, Nov 23 (Hina) - The decision of NATO member-countries to
invite Slovenia to join them is a historic event, Slovene Prime
Minister Janez Drnovsek said after meeting US Secretary of Defence
Donald Rumsfeld, who paid a short visit to Ljubljana on Saturday.
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Rumsfeld visited the Slovene army unit which will be deployed in
Bosnia-Herzegovina next year as part of the Stabilisation Force in
the country, and held talks with Drnovsek, President Milan Kucan,
and Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel.
The US official told reporters after meeting Drnovsek at Brdo kod
Kranja that although it was a small country, Slovenia could
contribute to the role of expanded NATO, which he said gathered
countries which wanted peace and stability in the world and shared
the same view of democracy and extremism and terrorism.
Rumsfeld said that Slovenia could contribute in the training of
mountain units and in the field of military medicine and mine
removal.
Asked about the relatively low support in the Slovene public for
NATO membership, Drnovsek said that Slovenia's attitude to NATO was
positive and that the invitation would increase support for
membership.
(hina) rml