CROATIAN DEFENCE MINISTER RECEIVES US DIPLOMAT DOBBINS

ZAGREB, Oct 7 (Hina) - Croatia's Defence Minister Pavao Miljavac on Thursday held talks with Ambassador James Dobbins, U.S. President's special advisor for the implementation of the Dayton Accords, read a statement issued by the Defence Ministry this evening. Miljavac and Dobbins considered bilateral military cooperation, Croatian Army members' participation in the United Nation' peace mission and the implementation of the Dayton Agreements and the Stability Pact. The two officials positively assessed the implementation, within the bilateral cooperation, of programmes for the military training of Croatian Army officers. The U.S. party supported the engagement of Croatian officers in the UN peace mission in Sierra Leone. Minister Miljavac gave a proposal for the set-up of a Centre in Croatia for training of soldiers and officers which may be enlisted within Stability Pact member-states for future UN peace missions. Regarding the implementation of the Dayton Accords, Miljavac and Dobbins positively assessed efforts aimed at achieving transparency in the financing of the Croat component in Bosnia- Herzegovina's federal armed forces. Minister Miljavac and diplomat Dobbins talked also about the conduct of the Croatian Army's members in the run-up to the election and during the election. Miljavac told the American that the only planned activities of the Croatian military during the election refer to the organisation of the voting within barracks where authorised observers will be able to monitor the election. (hina) ms