GENERAL KRSTICEVIC DISMISSES CLAIMS HE LOBBIED AGAINST MESIC

ZAGREB, May 8 (Hina) - Retired general and war-time commanding officer of the Fourth Guard Brigade, Damir Krsticevic, refuted claims by the "Nacional" weekly that he persuaded the brigade officers into insubordination to President and Commander-in- Chief, Stipe Mesic. He described the claim as "an ordinary lie". Tuesday's issue of the Nacional weekly issued an article entitled "Krsticevic Enticed 4th Brigade Officers to Insubordination to Mesic", and cited a "highly-positioned source" who said the Presidential Office and Defence Ministry "have information that the forcefully retired general Damir Krsticevic lobbied with some officers to obstruct the visit of the Commander-in-chief to the Fourth Guard Brigade in Split and be insubordinate". In his reaction, Krsticevic said Nacional "traditionally tendentiously and traditionally falsely" presented his role in the events. Krsticevic was one of seven active generals of the Croatian Armed Forces who were sent to retirement by President Mesic last September because they publicly signed a letter in which twelve generals called on the public to resist the criminalisation of the Homeland Defence War. (hina) lml sb