PRESIDENT MESIC ADVOCATES ASSISTANCE FOR COUNTRIES IN TRANSITION

MADRID, Oct 26 (Hina) - Countries in transition depend on the assistance of developed democracies in the key period of their development, but in order to yield success, the assistance must avoid uniform models and recipes, and take into consideration each country's specific quality, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said in his speech at the Madrid Conference on Democratic Transition and Consolidation on Friday. #L# "We need, ask for, expect and accept assistance from developed democracies," Mesic stressed, speaking about the difficulties in the creation of a system of democracy and the affirmation of democratic principles after half a century of communist dictatorships. He warned that sometimes, "uniform models and recipes" were being offered, that did not take into concern the specific social and cultural qualities of a certain country. He added that "transition (should not be allowed) to become a permanent condition or a form of dependence". It is possible to imagine that the negative effects of transition can in some areas create conditions for restoring a totalitarian regime which would not be communist, but equally hazardous, Mesic asserted. A similar warning was previously heard from the chairman of the conference's inaugural session, former Soviet head of state Mikhail Gorbachov, who had said that there were still authoritarian regimes hidden behind democratic slogans among countries in transition, which infringed on the efficiency of democracy. The conference in Madrid, organised by the Spanish non- governmental foundation for international relations and dialogue - FRIDE - and the Gorbachov Foundation, has gathered 14 heads of state or governments, as well as 18 former heads of state from 32 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America, mostly young democratic countries. The participants adopted a special declaration harshly denouncing terrorism. (hina) lml sb