Montenegro, Croatia 'Close to Deal' on Disputed Yugoslav Ship

Defence ministries in Montenegro and Croatia have hinted that they might be close to resolving their long-running dispute over Jadran, a Yugoslav ship which is currently part of the Montenegrin naval fleet based in the port of Tivat, but is also claimed by Croatia.

Sinisa Lukovic, a Montenegrin military expert and a journalist who has covered the navy for several years, said that after an extended period of sharp words and conflicting arguments, Montenegro and Croatia could soon reach a deal.

Lukovic said that according to his information, the Montenegrin Defence Ministry plans to offer joint usage to the Croatian side, and while Jadran will probably be docked in the Croatian port of Split, it will also be used for training purpose by both the Croatian and Montenegrin militaries.

"This is an unusual solution as the military ship could have only one commander, who is a military officer of one army. Now, plans for Jadran [indicate] that it would not sail under a Montenegrin or Croatian flag," Lukovic told BIRN.

He mentioned possible plans for Jadran to sail under a NATO flag, as both Montenegro and Croatia are members of the Western military alliance.

The ship was docked in Split until 1991, when it was moved to Tivat during the war.

The Croatian Defence Ministry says that the return of Jadran is one of its main foreign policy priorities.

An organisation of former Jadran commanders said on Monday the ship has been in Montenegro illegally for 25 years, urging the government in Podgorica to return it as soon as possible to Split.

The ship was built in 1931 and commissioned into the Yugoslav Royal Navy two years later. The navy used Jadran as a training vessel for decades.

Over the past 10 years, the Croatian...

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