SMITH AND NAUMANN PRAISE CROATIA FOR SUPPORT TO IFOR MISSION

SPLIT, March 7 (Hina) - The commander of the NATO-led peace Implementation Force (IFOR) in Bosnia, Admiral Leighton Smith, and the head of NATO's military council, General Klaus Nauman, on Thursday visited an IFOR logistics base at Divulje, near the southern Croatian port city of Split. Speaking at a brief press conference, Smith and Nauman praised Croatia for its logistical and other support to the IFOR peace mission in Bosnia. Smith said that NATO's operation in Bosnia would not have developed as it had without Croatian support. Commenting on the situation Wednesday in the Sarajevo suburb of Hadzici, Smith said that it showed that there were differences between the Bosnian Moslems and Croats within the Federation. He said that it was not clear who had authorized Croat policemen to enter the suburb but added that the Croat police acted very correctly. Smith stressed that he hoped that such things would not happen again and that he had been informed by Federation president Kresimir Zubak about differences with the Moslems. Naumann said he was very pleased with the support of the Croatian government and people to NATO, expressing hope that such cooperation would continue. (hina) vm 071837 MET mar 96