PRESIDENT MESIC SATISFIED WITH SLUNJ MILITARY EXERCISE

SLUNJ, Oct 11 (Hina) - Croatia's President and military supreme commander Stipe Mesic was impressed with "Autumn 2001", a military exercise held near Slunj on Thursday, describing it a professional performance proving the Croatian Armed Forces (HV) respected all standards of modern armies and NATO. The tactical exercise of HV's First Military District, held on the Slunj military range, 40 km south of Zagreb, demonstrated a high level of professionalism, President Mesic said, adding the participants had mastered modern weaponry, besides having war experience. "Your actions show you can go to war again if necessary and that you will win," Mesic told the participants. The military chief-of-staff, Gen. Petar Stipetic, described the exercise, which involved every military branch, as the "crowning achievement of the decade-long creation of the HV and the General Staff." Responding to a reporter's question, Defence Minister Jozo Rados said the average cost of a military exercise was approximately 13 million kuna ($1.56 million), but that the one in Slunj cost half the amount, since old war material was used. (hina) ha sb