DEFENCE MINISTER TO VISIT U.S. EARLY NEXT YEAR

( Editorial: --> 0590 ) ZAGREB, Dec 23 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Minister Gojko Susak said on Tuesday that he would officially visit the United States at the beginning of next year at the invitation of the American Secretary of Defence. During the Defence Ministry's Christmas reception on Tuesday, Susak said he would use the visit to raise at the highest levels the question of Croatia's entry into the western integration process. Speaking about the process of including Croatia in international western institutions, Susak emphasised: "Stories that we will wait decades for our admission to be just contemplated, simply don't stand. We face greater efforts in approaching the completion of restructuring the Croatian defence force in the way it was ordered by the Commander-in-Chief and President of the Republic," Susak said. He said this would be the first Christmas that Croatia had control over all of its borders. (Hina) mm mb 231732 MET dec 97