GENERAL SPEGELJ ON POSSIBLE REINSTATEMENT OF GENERAL KRSTICEVIC INTO ACTIVE MILITARY SERVICE

ZAGREB, Oct 2 (Hina) - The president of the commission for military honours, General Martin Spegelj, said Monday, after a commission's session, that he would hold talks with the Croatian President on a possible reinstatement of General Damir Krsticevic into active military service. Krsticevic is one of the seven generals whom President Stipe Mesic retired on Friday because of their public statement. After the retirement of the generals signatories of a letter which accuses the authority for negative attitude towards the Homeland Defence War, the public has been sympathetic to Krsticevic owing to his youth, skill and the way he reacted to the retirement. Spegelj stressed he personally could not take sides concerning this matters issue. He also regreted that some members of a "group of professionals succumbed to the political atmosphere and started to take (political) sides, while performing very responsible duties in the Croatian Armed Forces". General Spegelj denied speculations that the retiring of the seven active generals could jeopardise the security of the country. "The defence of the country is beyond question", retired general Martin Spegelj told reporters. (hina) it