PRESIDENT MESIC AND PREMIER RACAN DISCUSS CHIEF-OF-STAFF

ZAGREB, Dec 12 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic and Prime Minister Ivica Racan on Wednesday spoke for the second time in the past ten days about status of the Croatian Army Chief-of-Staff, General Petar Stipetic, and his possible successor. #L# According to the Law on Armed Forces, General Stipetic should be retired because he has turned 65 years of age. At their last meeting, Mesic and Racan agreed that Stipetic's status would be resolved in keeping with the law. After Wednesday's meeting, President Mesic spoke to reporters and said that he had spoken to Premier Racan about a lot of topics. Racan told journalists that they had spoken about the chief-of- staff but that there was not need to say anything more. "We spoke about the process of restructuring the Croatian armed forces and a possible successor to General Stipetic", the premier said. "At this moment, I cannot mention any names," he said adding that talks about possible candidates for seats in the Croatian Army were still being conducted. "I hope that by the end of the year, we will know the name of Stipetic's successor," Racan said. He added that at the next meeting with President Mesic there would be talks about possible candidates for vacant top position in the secret service. "We spoke about Prevlaka and many other current events in Croatia's politics," Racan said. (hina) sp it