CROATIA IS EXAMPLE OF POSITIVE CHANGES - SAYS AMBASSADOR TO UN

NEW YORK, June 24 (Hina) - Croatia is an example of positive changes in Southeast Europe and proof that the international community supports and encourages such changes, Croatia's permanent representative to the United Nations on Friday told a Security Council session which discussed the Balkans' situation. Speaking about the Croatian government's tasks, Ambassador Ivan Simonovic said the priorities were the return of refugees and displaced persons, de-mining, reconstruction of war-ravaged areas, economic and social revival, and reconciliation. Croatia's government wants to make up for lost time and step up joining the European Union, he said, adding Croatia believed the EU should evaluate the achievements of each country separately when deciding on its expansion. Speaking about Croatia's active cooperation with its neighbours, Simonovic said the crisis which flared up with the break-up of the former Yugoslav federation had returned to its starting point, the Yugoslav republic of Serbia. The situation cannot be normalised unless Yugoslavia effects democratic changes, he asserted. According to Simonovic, the regime which caused so much suffering in the aggression on Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina is now an obstacle to democratic dialogue aimed at alleviating tension in the Yugoslav province of Kosovo and to the legitimate interests of the residents of Montenegro, Yugoslavia's other republic. He reminded Belgrade's regime was still showing territorial aspirations towards Croatia when the southern-most peninsula of Prevlaka was in question. The Croatian ambassador said the open issue of succession to the former Yugoslav federation must be resolved as soon as possible, and even more so the issue of criminal accountability for last decade's war crimes. The Hague-based war crimes tribunal must reflect the extent and degree the sides had in the committed war crimes, but Yugoslavia's unwillingness to cooperate with the tribunal makes this impossible, said Simonovic. He reminded the UN Security Council Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia had sued Yugoslavia's authorities for genocide before the International Court of Justice. The Croatian ambassador applauded French President Jacques Chirac's initiative to dedicate special attention during France's presiding over the European Union to ways of stepping up the integration of the region's countries with European structures. He said the idea of a Balkan summit had that purpose and called for support and participation from the wider circle of surrounding countries. (hina) ha