ZAGREB, Nov 11 (Hina) - The Croatian Foreign Ministry on Saturday expressed dissatisfaction with the unannounced visit of Vojislav Vukcevic, Serbia's minister in charge of Serbs living outside Serbia, to Vukovar and his criticism of
the Croatian government. "It is inadmissible that a high official of the Serbian Government, in his capacity as minister for relations with Serbs outside Serbia, establishes those relations without communication with and an adequate announcement to the official bodies of the Republic of Croatia," read the statement issued "on the occasion of the unannounced visit to Vukovar and statements made by" Vojislav Vukcevic, who "criticised the Croatian Government from the Croatian territory." "Such an act cannot be considered the establishment of dialogue nor can it be brought into connection with the expressed readiness of Yugoslavia's new democratic authority to re-est
ZAGREB, Nov 11 (Hina) - The Croatian Foreign Ministry on Saturday
expressed dissatisfaction with the unannounced visit of Vojislav
Vukcevic, Serbia's minister in charge of Serbs living outside
Serbia, to Vukovar and his criticism of the Croatian government.
"It is inadmissible that a high official of the Serbian Government,
in his capacity as minister for relations with Serbs outside
Serbia, establishes those relations without communication with and
an adequate announcement to the official bodies of the Republic of
Croatia," read the statement issued "on the occasion of the
unannounced visit to Vukovar and statements made by" Vojislav
Vukcevic, who "criticised the Croatian Government from the
Croatian territory."
"Such an act cannot be considered the establishment of dialogue nor
can it be brought into connection with the expressed readiness of
Yugoslavia's new democratic authority to re-establish the process
of normalisation and good-neighbourly relations with Croatia,"
said the statement.
"The act of the Serbian minister bears witness to the lack of
respect for Croatia's sovereignty and its territorial integrity
and is considered the abuse of the openness of Croatia's borders and
media. Such an irresponsible act, in this delicate moment, is a
serious blow to the prospects of normalisation and good-
neighbourly relations between the two states."
The Croatian Foreign Ministry expects the Yugoslav Federal
Government to take a stand on the case and adjust the behaviour of
the Serbian Government Minister to the regulations of
international communication and conduct. Otherwise, Croatia would
be forced to seriously consider the possibility of introducing
appropriate measures of protection from similar incidents, read
the statement.
The Serbian minister, who visited the eastern town of Vukovar on
Friday, said Croatia was not facilitating the return of Serb
refugees "in the way it is proclaiming it and to which it has bound
itself." Vukcevic also accused Croatia of not showing "enough good
will" to enable the return of Serb refugees.
(hina) rml