DEPUTY DEFENCE MINISTER MEETS HEAD OF NATO CONTACT TEAM PROGRAMME

PROGRAMME ( Editorial: --> 1812 ) ZAGREB, June 17 (Hina) - Croatian Deputy Defence Minister Lt Gen Kresimir Cosic on Wednesday received Lt Randall Williams, the outgoing head of a NATO team in charge of assisting the armies of countries in transition, and his successor Bellie Ann Evans. Lt Williams was head of the JCTP (Joint Contact Team Programme) in Croatia and his office will be taken over by battle ship commander Bellie Ann Evans. After the meeting Cosic expressed satisfaction with the JCTP, which "is being unjustly neglected because we have focused exclusively on the Partnership for Peace programme". However, the bilateral military cooperation with the US forces' command in Europe has enabled all transition processes in the Croatian Armed Forces, but also in the Defence Ministry, to develop at a great speed, he added. "In regards to their reorganisation, the Defence Ministry and the Armed Forces have reached an impressive level compared to other European countries in transition, which have even been invited to become standing members of NATO," Cosic said. Lt Williams said that the 15 months he spent heading the JCTP in Croatia were professionally useful. The US team has contributed to the transition process of the Armed Forces, Defence Ministry and the main command, which will yield great results in the future, Randall said thanking Cosic and his associates for their assistance. The US programme included more than 120 seminars for more than 2,500 people in Croatia, USA and Germany in the past year. (hina) jn rml/bag 171350 MET jun 98