RELATIONS BETWEEN CROATIA AND TURKEY VERY FAVOURABLE - PRESIDENTS

ANKARA, June 19 (Hina) - The Presidents of Turkey and Croatia, Suleyman Demirel and Franjo Tudjman, said in Ankara on Wednesday that the relations between their countries were very favourable. Following a welcoming ceremony in the Presidential Palace, Tudjman said that the relations between the two friendly countries were developing to their mutual benefit with the aim of establishing peace in southeastern Europe. Demirel said that he and Tudjman would discuss privately bilateral, regional and international issues and the development of trade relations between Turkey and Croatia. This was Tudjman's second visit to Turkey. His first official visit to Ankara took place in 1993. The late Turkish president Turgut Ozal was one of the first foreign heads of state to visit Croatia. President Demirel had visited Zagreb several times. A military cooperation agreement was signed in Anakara on Wednesday by Croatian Defence Minister Gojko Susak and Turkish Army Chief of Staff General Ismail Hakki Karadayi. Susak said that Croatia and Turkey had a number of common interests and were linked by a mutual friend, Bosnia-Herzegovina. He particularly supported Turkey's offer to help train army officers from the Bosnian Moslem-Croat Federation and Croatia. (hina) vm mm 191749 MET jun 96