CRO DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER HOLDS TALKS WITH ADMIRAL VENTURONI

ZAGREB, Feb 13 (Hina) - Croatia's Deputy Foreign Minister Vesna Cvjetkovic Kurelec on Tuesday received Admiral Guido Venturoni, the chairman of NATO's Military Committee. Croatia's admission into the Partnership for Peace Programme last May is the credit paid to the Croatian Government, Cvjetkovic Kurelec said adding that the country's strategic aims were to enter NATO and come closer to European integration processes. That's why we are interested in permanent dialogue with partners inside NATO in order to strengthen cooperation and prepare the country for the entry into Membership Action Plan, she said viewing it as an important step towards Croatia's full membership in the Alliance. In addition, the appointment of Ambassador Anton Tus as Croatia's permanent representative to NATO will contribute to processes, she said. Admiral Venturoni congratulated Zagreb on the country's speedy accession into the Partnership for Peace after the incumbent government was constituted. He reiterated that NATO was conducting an open policy towards Croatia and that a military component was just a part of conditions which a country had to meet before entering the North Atlantic integration processes. According to s statement released by the Foreign Ministry, Venturoni said the complex and demanding process of admission into NATO would include countries which would be most prepared and which would meet military, political, economic, social and other criteria. (hina) ms