EX-SLOVENE PRESIDENT SPEAKS ABOUT HIS UPCOMING HAGUE TESTIMONY

LJUBLJANA, May 19 (Hina) - Former Slovene President Milan Kucan departs for The Hague on Monday where on Wednesday he will testify as a prosecutorial witness in the war crimes trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, Kucan's public relations advisor said on Sunday. #L# Speaking about his testimony on national television late last night, Kucan said: "I certainly won't be able to say anything new, but interpretations of events which I took part in seem to be important." Kucan said he would be able to speak about the motives which led Slovenia to separate from socialist Yugoslavia. The Hague testimony is an opportunity to help the U.N. tribunal understand the processes which brought a lot of tragedy for all "Yugoslav peoples... perhaps the Serbs the most (who) are a tragic victim" of Milosevic's leadership, said Kucan. He stated Slovenia's path of independence had been the right one, as evidenced "by where Slovenia is today, and where the other republics of the former Yugoslavia are". Kucan said he had referred to the defence ministry for documentation from the time of the separation after receiving the Hague tribunal's summons to better prepare himself for the trial. He is convinced Slovenia did not break international law as "mistaken Yugoslav generals" stated at that time. As for possible provocation by Milosevic during the cross- examination, Kucan said there were no facts from the time when Slovenia gained independence which might incriminate it. "Those who at that time weren't willing to accept and understand Slovenia's independence and the way it happened, which was entirely legitimate and legal, probably don't agree with it now either." After it was revealed that Kucan would testify in The Hague and be cross-examined by Milosevic, there has been speculation in Slovenia that Milosevic might try to discredit Slovenia and its former leadership as "separatist" and the cause of the bloody break-up of the former Yugoslavia. (hina) ha