80% OF ARMED FORCES REORGANISATION PROCESS COMPLETED - MINISTER

ZAGREB, July 14 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Minister Pavao Miljavac told reporters in Zagreb on Wednesday 80 percent of a Croatian Army reorganisation process has been completed. Also expected by year's end is the reorganisation of 90 percent of the Ministry of Defence. All old commands have been reorganised and new ones established, including the Training Command and the Combat Simulation Centre, the minister said. Thirty percent of reserves has also been reorganised, while plans include a reduction in reserve brigades by 32 percent, he added. Despite the fact that a recent state budget revision cut the Defence Ministry's earnings by US$38.5 million, Miljavac said the ministry has not exceeded any of its budgetary items. He added a recent state auditing of the ministry's work was impeccable. The minister expressed dissatisfaction with the rate at which Croatia was approaching NATO's Partnership for Peace programme. The obstacles on the way are more political than military in nature, he said. Speaking about the purchase of military liaison systems, Miljavac said talks have been held with several leading world companies. We are also trying to cooperate with domestic sub-contractors, to incite domestic production, he added. Miljavac said he had been surprised by an article on the purchase of U.S. F-16 combat aircraft which appeared in Nacional weekly's latest issue. "The purchase of F-16 is the ultimate goal, but there has been no talks about a possible contract yet. The purchase of state of the art combat aircraft is a political and strategic decision, both for the buyers and the suppliers," he said. (hina) ha jn