GOVT. TO DISCUSS UNBLOCKING OF FORMER YU ASSETS IN US BANKS MONDAY

ZAGREB, May 2 (Hina) - The Croatian government will hold consultations on Monday to discuss steps to be taken following the United States' decision to unfreeze US$225 million worth of assets of the former Yugoslav federation in US banks, government officials said on Friday. #L# Croatia had requested that the US$225 million-worth of former Yugoslavia's foreign currency reserves deposited in US banks by the ex-Yugoslav National Bank be blocked until the issue of succession to the former federation was settled. However, the USA has unblocked the accounts and Serbia has already confirmed that funds worth US$90.3 million have been transferred to the accounts of the Serbian National Bank. Other states which sent their account numbers to the US authorities have received funds as well. Croatia should receive US$56 million of former Yugoslav funds. It has not yet informed the US authorities of its account number and will be able to receive the funds once it does so. Government officials state that the unblocking of the funds does not mean that Croatia will give up its search for information and the funds of the former state. Croatia is the only former Yugoslav republic which has not ratified an agreement on succession, signed in June 2001. Croatian authorities demand an explanation for what happened to the assets of the former state deposited in eight banks with a mixed ownership structure that were founded abroad. The succession agreement mentioned the amount of 645 million dollars, however, according to data submitted subsequently by Serbia and Montenegro, the amount in question is the book value and only US$56 million dollars remained in those accounts. This leaves open the question where the remaining US$590 million from the banks has ended up. (hina) rml sb