CROATIAN DEFENCE MINISTER SPEAKS WITH TURKISH COUNTERPART

ANKARA, Feb 27 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Minister Jozo Rados who is on his second day of visiting Turkey on Tuesday spoke with the Turkish Defence Minister, Sabahattin Cakmakoglu on strengthening military cooperation. Both sides assessed the very developed political cooperation between Croatia and Turkey presents all the necessary preconditions for the two friendly countries to sign an agreement on cooperation between the two military industries. The agreement is expected to be signed within a month. Back in 1996 the two countries signed two military agreements on educational and technical cooperation and the training of military personnel. Rados and Cakmakoglu stressed the new military agreement would practically round up the existing military cooperation between the two countries in the field. The two ministers also agreed on the possibility to educate and train Croatian officers and non- commissioned officers at Turkish military academies. Personnel from many countries are being trained in Turkish academies in line with the highest NATO standards. During his visit to Turkey Rados and his associates visited the military aircraft factory TAI. More than 200 F-16 aircraft has come off TAI's belts. (hina) lml