FORMER US DEFENCE SECRETARY COMMENTS ON CROATIA-USA RELATIONS

( Editorial: --> 7744 ) ZAGREB, Sept 2 (Hina) - The talks the US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright held with Croatian officials were a friendly discussion, former US Defence Secretary William Perry said Wednesday commenting on the Croatian-American relations following Albright's visit to Croatia last weekend. Croatia and the United States are and will remain friends, Perry said in an interview with tonight's Croatian Television news broadcast "Motrista". Croatia made considerable progress during the past five years but the United States is slightly impatient and would like to see greater progress, Perry said. However, there is no disagreement between the two countries concerning the basic issues, he added. Speaking about Croatia approaching Euro-Atlantic associations and NATO, Perry said Croatia needed to continue following the vision of its full admission to Europe and NATO. That will happen in the future, he said adding that Croatia's most important task currently was its admission to the Partnership for Peace programme. The former Defence Secretary recalled cooperation with the late Defence Minister Gojko Susak. The US government has given Croatia certain instructions on how to become a member of the Partnership for Peace programme and those instructions should be viewed as guidelines, not as requirements, Perry said. He added he would like the two countries to form a team which would consider all other problems whose solution could result in further progress. Commenting on the Kosovo crisis, Perry said his country could not propose models for carrying out a military operation but rather offer diplomatic assistance. However, if the crisis reaches the point where diplomatic assistance is of no help, Europe and NATO should be ready to start a military action, he said. (hina) rml 022349 MET sep 98