( Editorial: --> 7595 )
ZAGREB, Sept 2 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Minister Andrija Hebrang
on Wednesday received the former US Defence Secretary William
Perry.
The talks focused on resolving misunderstandings pertaining to the
financial assistance Croatia was providing to Croats in Bosnia-
Herzegovina and on the training of Croatian officers in the United
States.
"I primarily asked him (Perry) to help us resolve some
misunderstandings about the financial assistance Croatia is
providing to some Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina who are victims of
the Homeland War, as well as soldiers of the Croatian Defence
Council (HVO) that had fought alongside Bosnian Federation armed
forces," Hebrang said after the meeting in Zagreb.
The meeting was also attended by the US Ambassador to Croatia,
William Montgomery.
"I explained that this financial assistance was necessary because
the Bosnian Federation has not begun to function and is not paying
compensation to the victims of the Homeland War, nor is it paying
soldiers of the HVO. If Croatia did not provide help financially,
these two groups of people would remain without payment for years,"
Hebrang said.
"I asked for understanding, a gradual approach, and we were
reassured by Ambassador Montgomery and Mr Perry that such an
approach was possible and that they supported it. However, this
approach must be transparent, more transparent than up to now," he
added.
The talks also focused on the training of Croatian officers at US
military schools.
Hebrang thanked Perry for his support in the Croatian Defence
Ministry's organisation and all efforts pertaining to the
establishment of the Croat-Muslim Bosnian Federation, as well as to
the implementation of the Washington and Dayton agreements.
Perry said the talks on cooperation between the Croatian and US
armies regarding the training of soldiers and officers had been
very fertile.
He expressed hope that the cooperation between the two countries'
armed forces would remain long-term and productive.
Perry recalled that he had worked with the former Croatian Defence
Minister Gojko Susak on a plan on Croatia's accession into NATO's
Partnership for Peace programme.
I believed then and I believe now that this is a very important step
Croatia must take in order to be fully integrated into Europe, Perry
said.
(hina) lml /mbr
021449 MET sep 98
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