ADJUSTMENT TO NATO WILL LAST SOME TEN YEARS -- PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR

ZAGREB, Feb 28 (Hina) - "I hope Croatia will be accepted into the NATO as soon as possible. Adjustment to NATO conditions will be lengthy, for some systems up to ten years," Croatian President's advisor for military issues, Imra Agotic, said Wednesday. Costs of adjusting to the NATO are still unknown as we do not know which out of the hundred conditions NATO will set for us, Agotic said during a break of a round-table conference on the role of technology in the development and support of the Croatian Armed Forces in its adjustment to the Partnership for Peace programme, NATO and European associations, organised by the Shipping Institute in Zagreb. The institute, with many other institutes in Croatia, should get a clearly defined position and tasks in the reorganisation of the Armed Forces, which is something we are working on at the moment, Deputy Defence Minister Zlatko Gareljic said during the break of the closed-door conference. These institutes, he said, would work for the army, but would also have to seek their place on the know-how and skill markets. The round-table, held under the auspices of President Stipe Mesic, gathered many officials from the Presidential Office, Armed Forces, RH-Alan company and the defence, science and economy ministries. (hina) lml