SNS IS ONLY LEGITIMATE REPRESENTATIVE OF SERBS IN CROATIA -- DJUKIC

ZAGREB, Jan 13 (Hina) - With its successful electoral results the Serb People's Party (SNS) has shown that it is the only legitimate and legal representative of the interests of the Serb national minority in Croatia, SNS president Milan Djukic told a news conference Thursday. The SNS will approach the new Croatian authorities in a constructive and cooperative manner, but will also be an ardent critic if the authorities do not show the intention of fulfilling the justified requests of Serbs in Croatia, Djukic said. The SNS will demand that the process of return of citizens of Serb nationality be expedited, the return of their property and the right to reconstruction. It is also the SNS's request that citizens of Serb nationality who had been convicted of stirring armed rebellion, and have the right to an appeal, be released. Djukic said the Amnesty Act should be applied to them, but, he added, the SNS would also consent to re-trials, with representatives of the international community supervising the proceedings. The SNS will also request Croatia's full cooperation with the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague, and will particularly advocate the hand over of documents regarding Croatian military and police operations "Storm" and "Flash". (hina) lml mm