PRESIDENT MESIC ARRIVES IN STRASBOURG

STRASBOURG, Sept 27 (Hina) - Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic on Wednesday arrived in Strasbourg where he will deliver a speech before the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly tomorrow. Mesic is the first Croatian head of state to address the CoE Parliamentary Assembly. Since Croatia won independence, a few senior officials of the country have addressed the Assembly, but the late President Franjo Tudjman had never been invited to give a speech before that body. Tudjman, however, took part in the 1997 summit of heads of state or of government of Council of Europe member-countries. Prior to his departure from Zagreb, Mesic said he would thank the Parliamentary Assembly for having lifted the monitoring in Croatia. He will also briefed parliamentarians about the situation in Croatia and about measures which Zagreb was taking to improve the material standard of citizens. In this context, he will also ask for the international community's assistance. During his stay in Strasbourg, Mesic is to meet the Assembly President Lord Russel Johnston, the Council of Europe Secretary- General Walter Schwimmer, and the head of the European Court for Human Rights, Luzius Wildhaber. (hina) ms