CRO DEFENSE MINISTER RETURNS FROM SLOVAKIA

ZAGREB, Mar 14 (Hina) - Croatian Defense Minister Gojko Susak on Friday returned from a two-day visit to Slovakia, where he signed an agreement on military cooperation between Croatia and Slovakia with his Slovakian counterpart, Jan Sitek. "The agreement on military cooperation is the basis for a wider cooperation between the two countries, which could soon be realized through the production of tanks and the Slovaks' participation in the clearing of mines in the Croatian Danubian area", Susak told reporters upon his arrival in Zagreb. Croatia was especially interested for the Slovakian engineering battalion, currently taking part within UNTAES in the mine-clearing in the Danubian area, to continue with these activities even after the termination of the UNTAES mandate in July, Susak said. "We would probably hire just the equipment, and perhaps even experts, if convenient", he added. Both sides were interested for cooperation in the production of tanks and other things, the Croatian Defense Minister said, adding that "we are also interested for cooperation in the maintenance of a part of the weaponry Croatia has from the eastern block, until we fully change to the western system". This would not happen overnight, Susak concluded. (hina) ha mm 141733 MET mar 97