CROATIAN AND U.S. DEFENCE MINISTERS HOLD SUCCESSFUL TALKS

WASHINGTON, May 13 (Hina) - Official talks between Croatian Defence Minister Pavao Miljavac and US Defence Secretary William Cohen in Washington on Wednesday focused on two important groups of issues - - the current situation in the region of south-east Europe and bilateral military cooperation and Croatia's drawing closer to Euro-Atlantic associations. The Croatian delegation, consisting Deputy Defence Minister Kresimir Cosic, Croatian Army chief-of-staff Vice-Admiral Davorin Domazet, General Ivan Pokaz and Captain First Class Ivo Martinic, expressed satisfaction with the talks and assessed them as having marked progress not only in military relations, but overall relations between Croatia and the United States. We spoke about Croatia's assistance to NATO during the operation we are leading against the government of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and his forces, and about Croatia's plans to access the Partnership for Peace Programme, as well as its efforts to achieve a democratisation of political life and the implementation of the Dayton peace accords, Cohen said after the talks. He thanked Miljavac for the successful restructuring of the Croatian defence Ministry. Cohen expressed hope Croatia would successfully travel the rest of the way towards the Partnership for Peace Programme and assessed much has been achieved in that sense. "The American side is exceptionally satisfied with Croatia's views regarding the NATO action and the crisis in our neighbouring region," Miljavac said. He stressed Croatia wished to be and act as a stability factor in the south-east of Europe, which the United States and Other members of NATO recognised and respected. Croatian Ambassador to the united States, Miomir Zuzul, said the US support to Croatia's access to the Partnership for Peace was certain after the talks. (hina) lml