CRO DEFENSE MINISTER, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR HOLD TALKS ABOUT UNTAES M

M $ ANDATE ZAGREB, Nov 13 (Hina) - Croatian Defense Minister Gojko Susak on Wednesday held talks with the Russian Ambassador to Croatia, Leonid Kerestedzhiyants, about the UNTAES mandate in Croatia and possibilities of extending the presence of IFOR in Bosnia- Herzegovina. #L# Kerestedzhiyants, on whose request the meeting was held, said after the talks that he supported the suggestion of the UN Secretary-General that the UNTAES mandate be extended to 15 July next year. The suggestion corresponded to the situation in the region, Kerestedzhiyants said. Susak said that the talks also focused on signing an agreement on cooperation between the Russian and Croatian defense ministries. "We both hold that the time has tome to prepare a contract on the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Russian and Croatian defense ministries," Susak said. Kerestedzhiyants said the two ministries had established valuable cooperation, adding that he would not consider his mission complete if a cooperation agreement between the two counties' defense ministries was not signed. Kerestedzhiyants's mission as ambassador in Zagreb will end soon. (hina) lm jn 131915 MET nov 96