PRIME MINISTER REFUSES INTERIOR MINISTER'S RESIGNATION

ZAGREB, May 18 (Hina) - Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan on Thursday dismissed a resignation submitted by Interior Minister Sime Lucin, and was supported by other Government members. "All Government members were unanimous in agreeing this should not even be considered. The conduct and work of Minister Lucin have been assessed as exceptionally good," Racan told reporters. Late Wednesday night Racan announced he would refuse Lucin's possible resignation. He recalled Thursday Lucin had tendered his resignation because of what President Stjepan Mesic had allegedly told Zagreb's weekly "Globus", but which Mesic had later denied as saying. The Government had found no foundations for questioning Lucin's work, Racan said after a Government closed-door session. He confirmed him and Lucin had spoken to President Mesic on Wednesday. I do not know what the subject of talks between Lucin and Mesic was, but Mesic had then said his alleged statement cited in Globus was not correct. He dismissed it, and today he dismissed it publicly, Racan said. He held that those in authority have to draw a moral from all this, which is that they should avoid such a form of political communication which creates unnecessary tension. Racan added that he did not blame reporters for situations such as these. (hina) lml mm