CROATIA WILL EXPAND MILITARY TRAINING IN UNITED STATES

ZAGREB, March 20 (Hina) - Croatia places great importance on the training of military personnel and will try to expand the cooperation with the United States, Croatian Defence Minister Jozo Rados said in Zagreb on Monday. After talks with the director of the US Command for Europe (EUSECOM), Major General Larry Lust, Rados told reporters the meeting had focused on cooperation in military training and education which was very developed. The two agreed this cooperation should continue, and that Croatia would "despite the difficult financial circumstances try not to reduce it, but even increase some programmes of education at America's highest schools," Rados said. Major General Lust described as very positive the way in which Croatia has so far participated in the military cooperation programme, saying he had come to pay tribute not only to the excellent way in which Croatia has used American international funds for military training, but also to the fact that Croatia has invested two dollars of its own for every one the United States has given. Education is the foundation of every good army and Croatia has chosen this very path which will render this foundation extremely firm, Lust said. (hina) lml mm