MEETING ON EUROPEAN DEFENCE MECHANISMS TO BE HELD IN ZAGREB

( Editorial: --> 2183 ) ZAGREB, Sept 22 (Hina) - The Presidency of the Gaminger Initiative, a federation of central European associations of officers and reserve officers, will hold a working meeting in Zagreb on Sunday, September 27. The meeting will gather high and influential officers and reserve officers from Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland and Croatia, as well as representatives from CIOR, an association of officers and reserve officers from NATO and the German Bundeswehr. The Gaminger Initiative is chaired by Croatia this year. Participants in the three-day meeting will hold talks with the highest Croatian state officials on Croatia's integration into western military and defence mechanisms. "The meeting is also important because of Croatia's participation in designing military democratic policy, which could help it in joining the Partnership for Peace programme, Gaminger Initiative Presidency chairman, Reserve Brigadier Tomo Jantol, told reporters in Zagreb. The meeting also offers an opportunity for Europe "to get to know Croatia better and understand our aims, policy and problems", Jantol added. (hina) jn rml/sp. 221422 MET sep 98