CROATIAN HEAD OF STATE ENDS VISIT TO NEW YORK

NEW YORK, Nov 11 (hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic on Sunday ended his visit to the United States by holding talks with Palestinian leader Jaser Arafat. Mesic informed the Palestinian leader of Croatia's standpoint that a permanent and peaceful political solution was necessary for solving a long-term crisis. Araft believes that a peaceful solution was possible, stressing it was necessary that the US influence some Israeli circles in the peace process. The Palestinian leader said some people in Israel want to solve the situation by pressure. During the talks, Mesic invited Arafat to visit Croatia. Before returning to the Homeland, Mesic assessed the talks he held in New York with statesmen present at the US General Assembly session as successful. Croatia's political standpoints on terrorism and the global anti- terrorist coalition were supported, Mesic said. Mesic said it was particularly important that the US again supported Croatia's attempt to fully join Euro-Atlantic institutions. Mesic said Croatia would receive another recognition for its policy next year when Ambassador Ivan Simonovic would be appointed chairman of the UN Economic and Social Council. (hina) it