JOINT CROATIAN-US MILITARY EXERCISE ASSESSED AS SUCCESSFUL

SLUNJ, Nov 15 (Hina) - The commander of the US Navy 26th unit, Kenneth Glueck, said the joint exercise of the Croatian and US armed forces on a military range near Slunj in central Croatia, was more than successful. Glueck said he was pleasantly surprised at the level of readiness of Croatian troops, which, he said, was approaching NATO standards. The exercise included firing from US batteries' 155-mm howitzers and the Croatian Army 1st Guard Brigade 122-mm D-30 howitzers, a combined exercise of navy commandos, and joint helicopter and plane overflights. Another joint exercise, including the Croatian military police and the SEAL team "Pilot Search and Rescue", will take place on November 19-20. Assistant Defence Minister Zlatko Batusic said the military exercise "Slunj 2000" was the first exercise of its kind carried out on Croatia's territory and it was the model of future cooperation between the US and Croatian armies within Partnership for Peace. According to Batusic, the Slunj military range has been rented to the US armed forces and they were paying daily costs. The US Navy unit commander, Kenneth Glueck, said the air forces stationed at Udbina were avoiding the area of the Plitvice Lakes national park and there was no danger of breaking the sound barrier or jeopardising the sensitive area of the national park. (hina) jn rml