Kotromanovic, Senator Begich and Ambassador Foley visited Slunj facility

In the presence of the Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Drago Lovrić, Commander of the Army, Major General Dragutin Repinc, Guard Mechanized Brigade Commander Brigadier General Mladen Fuzul and many others, Senator Mark Begich, Democratic Senator from Alaska and a member of the Armed Forces Committee of the U.S. Senate and Ambassador James B. Foley were given presentation of the “Eugen Kvaternik” military training installation.

Visit by high American guests, Senator Mark Begich, and Ambassador James B. Foley to Slunj was yet another confirmation of a long and very successful cooperation between Croatia and the United States, within which over 80 different bilateral activities is held annually. The most important areas of cooperation are the US-Adriatic initiative – A5 initiative, cooperation within NATO ISAF operation in Afghanistan, cooperation with the Minnesota National Guard through the “State Partnership” program, a program of military cooperation through IMET (International Military Education Training), cooperation through GPOI (Global Peace Operationl Initiative), the U.S. donation agreement for disposal of obsolete weapons and ammunitions, and the cooperation withing the ERC / HA (Exercise Related Construction / Humanitarian Assistance).

Defence Minister Ante Kotromanović, when addressing his guests, emphasized the long relationship of partnership and friendship between the two countries and thanked for the assistance that the U.S. government gave to Croatia by donation for the warehouse on Debela Glava at Slunj military training installation, as well as for providing assistance in the program of destroying obsolete munitions. Minister Kotromanović also visited parts of the training site at which “SPREMNOST-12” exercises was held and attended the first demonstration of the tactical use of Patria.