CROATIA TO ACCESS PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE NEXT MONTH -- RADOS

ZAGREB, May 3 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Minister Jozo Rados announced Croatia would next week in Brussels most probably receive a confirmation, and next month in Florence officially be accepted into NATO's Partnership for Peace Programme. At the end of this month a ministerial meeting of the NATO Council will take place in Florence. "It is possible that Croatia will become a member of the Partnership for Peace in Florence because the Council is a body making the decision, but Brussels (NATO headquarters) may provide a sure confirmation," Rados told the Croatian Television Tuesday night, confirming an announcement made by Prime Minister Ivica Racan that Croatia would soon be joining the Partnership for Peace Programme. "We today have no indicators that there would be any difficulties in Brussels or Florence," he added. The accession will be a recognition for Croatia and its new authorities on its orientation and political programme. Joining the Partnership for Peace will facilitate Croatia to face challenges it will be meeting as a country on its way towards the NATO, and is a good booster for accession into other non-military organisations, Rados said. He asserted Croatia's entry into the Partnership for Peace this year would not cost the state virtually anything. Parliamentary supervision and civilian management of the army is the strongest request concerning the defence ministry of each country wishing to join the Programme. "In this sense we have achieved much because we have engaged the Parliament's Internal Affairs and National Security Committee to perform this task," Rados said. "There are no disputes in the Defence Ministry, the Government, the country's President or the Parliament that this should be the way it is done," he stressed. (hina) lml jn