site.btaBulgaria, Croatia to Update their Defence Cooperation Agreement

May 3 (BTA) - Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence
 Minister Krassimir Karakachanov conferred here on Friday with
visiting Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister
Damir Krsticevic.

"We agreed to draw up a new bilateral cooperation agreement
between the two ministries. The previous agreement dates from
1996 and needs updating," Karakachanov said after the talks.

"In addition to possibilities for training our service persons,
the agreement will cover all aspects of military cooperation, as
 well as questions concerning social policy for defence
personnel," the Deputy PM pointed out. He expects the new
agreement to be ready within six or seven months.

"Bulgaria and Croatia are friendly countries, we don't have any
contentious issues," Karakachanov said. "The purpose of the
visit is to intensify relations between the two countries'
defence ministries. We shared our practice in the modernization
projects," he noted, adding that the Croatian side, too, shared
its experience, as they, too, have an aviation modernization
project.

For his part, Krsticevic said that he is the first Croatian
defence minister to visit Bulgaria in 15 years and stressed that
 Bulgaria and Croatia are friendly countries and factors of
regional stability and peace.

The Croatian Deputy Prime Minister noted that the meetings are
intended to improve cooperation in the defence industry. In his
opinion, it is time to update the agreement on the defence
industry. He invited Karakachanov to visit Croatia next year for
 the signing of a new agreement.

The two discussed the areas of cooperation, including the navy
and special operations forces. Krsticevic recalled that an
agreement on the establishment of a multinational helicopter
pilot training centre in Zemunik was recently signed in
Brussels, and it involves Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovenia as
well.

The sides also exchanged information on security in Southeastern
 Europe, which the guest described as very important because of
its connection with the maintenance of peace, security and
stability in the region. IG/LG