ZAGREB, April 19 (Hina) - The decision of US President Bill Clinton to allow Croatia to purchase arms and military equipment marks progress in bilateral relations between the United States and Croatia, and presents an important step
on Croatia's path towards membership in the Partnership for Peace programme, special US envoy for the implementation of the Dayton Agreement, Robert Gelbard, said in Zagreb on Monday. The President's decision is a very, very important step in our military and strategic bilateral relations... We see this as an important step towards membership in the Partnership for Peace programme, Gelbard said after a meeting with Croatian Defence Minister Pavao Miljavac. Miljavac stressed the two had agreed that the process of Croatia's accession into the programme should be expedited. "We agreed that the entire programme should be expedited in some way and that Croatia fulfils all predi
ZAGREB, April 19 (Hina) - The decision of US President Bill Clinton
to allow Croatia to purchase arms and military equipment marks
progress in bilateral relations between the United States and
Croatia, and presents an important step on Croatia's path towards
membership in the Partnership for Peace programme, special US envoy
for the implementation of the Dayton Agreement, Robert Gelbard,
said in Zagreb on Monday.
The President's decision is a very, very important step in our
military and strategic bilateral relations... We see this as an
important step towards membership in the Partnership for Peace
programme, Gelbard said after a meeting with Croatian Defence
Minister Pavao Miljavac.
Miljavac stressed the two had agreed that the process of Croatia's
accession into the programme should be expedited.
"We agreed that the entire programme should be expedited in some way
and that Croatia fulfils all predispositions ... to enter the
Partnership for Peace programme," Miljavac said.
Gelbard and Miljavac exchanged views about issues of mutual
interest, primarily the security situation in the region with
regards to the crisis in Kosovo.
Gelbard said Croatia's concern regarding the situation in
Yugoslavia was "legitimate", adding that the US cooperated with
Croatia in a wide spectre of strategic and military issues.
Miljavac confirmed that the meeting analysed the security
situation in the region. He added the two also tackled Croatia's
views of the Kosovo crisis and some of America's future moves in the
area.
Gelbard and Miljavac also spoke about mutual interests in Bosnia-
Herzegovina, where Croatia, as a signatory to the Dayton peace
agreement, has a legitimate role as does the United States. Gelbard
stressed they discussed a number of issues with regards to the
situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the implementation of the
Dayton Agreement.
(hina) lml