CROATIA WILL INTENSIFY CONTROL OF EASTERN & SOUTHERN BORDERS

( Editorial: --> 2886 ) ZAGREB, Feb 18 (Hina) - By increasing security on its eastern and southern borders Croatia will endeavour to ward off the increasing number of Turkish illegal immigrants who via Croatia go to western Europe, said the Croatian Interior Minister Ivan Penic on Wednesday in Zagreb. Minister Penic talked with his colleague, Turkish Interior Minister Murata Basesgioglu, about police cooperation between the two countries, especially in the prevention of smuggling people and drugs. Penic told journalists that in 1997 Croatian police captured and sent back 430 Turkish citizens who through organised channels tried to illegally cross the border from Bosnia-Herzegovina to Croatia on their way to western Europe. On our eastern and southern borders we are introducing procedures that Slovenes are applying on the Croatian-Slovenian border in the spirit of the Schengen agreement, said Penic. Both ministers assessed their discussion as friendly and constructive. They evaluated cooperation between the two nation's police forces in combating international drug trafficking and terrorism as successful. Turkish minister Basesgioglu especially warned Penic on the activities of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) which Turkey considers as a terrorist organisation. PKK claims to lead an armed battle for liberation from Turkey. The Turkish minister told journalists that PKK has a big share in smuggling drugs and people, by which it finances its activities. Both ministers signed a protocol of their discussion and implementation of an agreed framework of cooperation. On the invitation of his Turkish colleague, Minister Penic will visit Turkey in June this year. (hina) jn mrb 181859 MET feb 98