ZADAR TOWN COUNCIL CONDEMNS ITALIAN PRESIDENT'S DECISION

ZADAR, Nov 13 (Hina) - The councillors of the town of Zadar on Tuesday condemned a decision by Italian president Carlo Azeglio Ciampi to decorate the central Adriatic town's fascist government of 1943. The councillors concluded this decision was contrary to friendly relations between the two democratic countries. The announced decoration is not a reward to the citizens of Zadar who suffered terribly but to the town's government, which opted for and implemented fascism even after Italy joined the Allies, the councillors reported. They assessed the intention and possibility that the fascist government of Zadar may be rewarded as absurd, even more so knowing that Italy resolutely renounced that regime. The councillors hope this is just an inappropriate intention which the governments of two countries can prevent with good will, so that the cooperation between Croatia and Italy will be to the advantage of a unified democratic Europe. The town council has called on Zadar natives residing in Italy to distance themselves from what the councillors call the so-called free municipality of Zadar in exile. They have called on them to look after homeland traditions and offered them full cooperation on behalf of Zadar residents in Croatia. With such good intentions, they will always be welcome to Croatia, the councillors said. (hina) np sb