MESIC DEPARTS FROM POLAND

WARSAW, June 29 (Hina) - Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic on Thursday afternoon departed from Warsaw where he held meetings with Polish top officials during his two-day official visit to Poland. The meetings confirmed excellent political relations and joint strategic goals of Warsaw and Zagreb. In addition, Mesic and his interlocutors agreed that it was necessary to improve the economic cooperation. Croatian President held talks with his Polish counterpart, Alexander Kwasniewski, Polish Premier Jerzy Buzek, and speakers of the upper and lower houses, Alicja Grzeskowiak and Maciej Plazynski respectively. Prior to the departure, Mesic, accompanied by the Croatian Army headquarters chief-of-staff Petar Stipetic and his advisor on military issues, General Imre Agotic, toured the headquarters of the joint battalion of Poland and Lithuania. The joint command of this battalion is based in Orzycz at the border between the two countries. It was described as an interesting example of co-operation between two armies which had not co- operated earlier in history. Our experience can be interesting to Croatia but also to the entire region as we outgrew stereotypes and difficulties in communications in the area of the military co-operation, Polish President Kwasniewski said. During the tour Mesic was notified of tasks, equipment and organisation of the joint battalion. (hina) mm ms