OSCE SPOKESMAN - WE DID REQUEST DEGN'S MEETING WITH TUDJMAN

ZAGREB, Jan 15 (Hina) - A spokesman for OSCE's mission to Croatia on Friday told Hina the OSCE had requested a meeting between the president of OSCE's Parliamentary Assembly and the Croatian President through the Croatian government's Office for relations with the OSCE. Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) spokesman Mark Thompson said the usual procedure had been used in forwarding the request for the meeting between Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and OSCE Parliamentary Assembly president Helle Degn. Thompson said the OSCE mission in Zagreb forwarded a letter to the Croatian government's Office for cooperation with the OSCE on December 1, requesting in it Degn's meetings with Croatian officials, including with President Tudjman. The letter specifically requested a meeting with Tudjman, Thompson said in answer to whether Degn had requested a meeting with the Croatian President. Rijeka-based daily "Novi List" on Thursday wrote that Tudjman had refused to receive Degn, who visited Croatia between January 11 and 13. Tudjman's secretary for public relations earlier today told Hina the President's Office had not received any such request, pointing out no refusal could therefore have been possible. The secretary said the usual procedure for arranging a meeting with the President was for the President's Office to do so following a previously received request. OSCE's Thompson said that between December 1 and Degn's arrival, the OSCE mission was arranging the programme of her visit with the Croatian government's Office for cooperation with the OSCE, pointing out the mission had not been notified to refer to Tudjman's Office. The government's Office had at no time told the OSCE mission it was necessary to directly contact the Croatian President's Office, Thompson said. He added it became clear Degn would not meet President Tudjman only late last week, on the eve of her arrival, through contacts with the Government's OSCE Office. Thompson said that not even on that occasion had the OSCE mission been told it should directly contact Tudjman's Office. (hina) ha