MESIC, VON HABSBURG TALK CROATIA'S ACCESS TO EUROPEAN UNION

ZAGREB, March 31 (Hina) - The president of the International Pan- European Union, Otto von Habsburg, on Friday said in Zagreb he was satisfied with Croatian President Stipe Mesic's willingness to continue acting towards expediting Croatia's joining of the European Union (EU). In a brief statement to the press after talks with President Mesic, von Habsburg said the chief goal of his visit were talks on Croatia's access to the EU. Von Habsburg said he was delighted to see President Mesic pursue the line he had chosen, and at the fact that he would continue being the real initiator of Croatia's access to the EU. Asked if he had a message for the Croatian people, von Habsburg said Croats should not let the favourable moment slip by. In history, we never know how long a favourable opportunity will last, so we must know how to seize it, he asserted. Croatia's leaders, both the president and the government, are aware of that moment, von Habsburg said, voicing hope they would work on achieving that goal energetically and fast. He believes this optimistic assessment has a pessimistic counter- balance, namely possible instability in the region. Von Habsburg fears Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic will not rest. Something may happen in Montenegro unless the West makes it clear it will not stop next time and that Milosevic will risk his own skin, von Habsburg said. He thinks it is sad that western powers did not finish their job in Kosovo. Drawing a parallel between Milosevic and Iraqi President Sadam Hussein, the president of the International Pan-European Commission said western intervention had actually strengthened the dictator in power in both cases. The West should take a very clear, very energetic position towards Belgrade, without mercy this time, von Habsburg asserted. (hina) ha mm