CRO DEFENCE, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL HOLDS SESSION - STATEMENT

STATEMENT $ ZAGREB, March 13 (Hina) - The Defence and National Security Council today convened under the chairmanship of Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, the President's office said in a statement. Tudjman had made a resolution on changes in the Croatian army considering the transition into the peacetime structure of the armed force and the age of high-ranking officers, the statement said. As regards problems in the establishment of the Bosnian Federation and its relations with Croatia, the Council agreed that Croatia would remain persistant in the implementation of the Washington and Dayton agreements and that obstacles in their implementation would be jointly removed during all meetings, the statement said. The Defence and National Security Council supported the government's decision that cooperation between Croatia and the Federation be also realised through an agreement on leasing a section of the customs-free zone in the port of Ploce, the statement said. (hina) as lm jn 131732 MET mar 96