PRESIDENT MESIC SUGGESTS USING PREVLAKA FOR TOURISM

DUBROVNIK, Aug 26 (Hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic on Saturday visited the municipality of Konavle in southern-most Croatia, holding talks with municipal head Luka Korda and Dubrovnik mayor Vido Bogdanovic. The president also visited the Croatian- Montenegrin border crossing at Konfin. Talking to border police officers, President Mesic said the nearby peninsula of Prevlaka, a point of dispute between Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, was not a territorial but a security issue which could best be settled by starting to use the peninsula for commercial purposes. Prevlaka is Croatia's southern-most tip which borders with FRY's Republic of Montenegro to which FRY has territorial aspirations. A United Nations mission of observers is deployed there. According to President Mesic, Prevlaka could experience a "tourist boom", from which Croatia would only benefit, very easily. He pointed out, however, it was first necessary to introduce water and investors to build tourist facilities. "We have to provide conditions for things to start moving, and this is first of all the issue of land which is nationalised and which has to be returned to the owners, because this is Croatian territory," said Mesic. Responding to a question on the presence of FRY soldiers on the nearby hills of Bjelotina and Kosare, the Croatian President said the matter would be settled very soon in talks with the Montenegrin side. "The important thing for us now is for these few months to pass peacefully in FRY, that there be peace in Montenegro, and then these borders issues will be settled," said Mesic. The President also visited the port of Molunat and Zvekovica where he discussed reconstruction with local officials. (hina) ha