YUGO. ADMISSION TO UN OPENS, FACILITATES SETTLING SUCCESSION ISSUE

ZAGREB, Nov 2 (Hina) - After Thursday's admission of Yugoslavia to the United Nations as a full-right member, settling the issue of succession to the former Yugoslav federation has become "open" and "easier," a foreign ministry official said. "The new UN member, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, is now in a position to keep its promises and will thus make a constructive contribution to settling the succession issue, together with the other successor states," spokesman Goran Rotim told Hina over the telephone. He added that as a new UN member, Yugoslavia must respect the UN Charter and all international legal obligations therein. This is in the interest of Yugoslavia, as well as that of neighbouring countries, including Croatia and the entire region, he said. Asked how Croatia viewed Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic's statement of Wednesday that "Yugoslavia is just fiction" and his regret that Montenegro had not been consulted before Yugoslavia was admitted to the UN, Rotim said that "for over a year now, Croatia has been conducting a very constructive dialogue with Montenegro, as a component part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia." With that dialogue, Croatia has wanted to settle open issues with Montenegro not only on the bilateral level, but has also "wanted to contribute to the development of relations with the southern neighbour, to the security of the border and of the entire region," he said. "Zagreb-Podgorica relations, therefore, are more advanced than relations between Zagreb and Belgrade were," said Rotim. The foreign ministry has confirmed that the foreign ministers of Croatia and Montenegro are to meet in Cavtat, southern-most Croatia, next Tuesday. No details have been offered. (hina) ha