GOVT OFFICE COULD NOT HAVE ORGANISED TUDJMAN-DEGN MEETING

ZAGREB, Jan 15 (Hina) - The Croatian Government office for relations with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) could not have organised a meeting between OSCE official Helle Degn and Croatian President Franjo Tudjman because meetings of that kind are always organised by the President's Office, which the OSCE was well aware of, head of the Government Office Tomislav Vidosevic said. Asked to comment on claims that President Tudjman had refused to receive Ms Degn, Vidosevic told Hina that his office had been requested to organise the meeting. However, all meetings between OSCE officials and President Tudjman are usually organised in direct contacts with the President's Office, as the OSCE has been doing. "That kind of meetings are always organised in direct contacts with the President's Office and the OSCE knows that very well", Vidosevic said. He added his office had received a letter from the OSCE Mission in Zagreb requesting a series of meetings between Degn and Croatian officials, including President Tudjman. Asked why the Government Office did not organise the meeting, Vidosevic said it was outside of the jurisdiction of his Office, which organised meetings on the level of governments. The OSCE did not "explicitly" raise that question during the series of contacts which preceded Ms Degn's visit, he added. Asked whether Degn had complained about the organisation of her visit, Vidosevic said that Degn had told him she had received signals on what levels she was to have meetings. The highest level Degn was received at was the level of Government and Parliament vice-presidents. Degn held talks with Deputy Premiers Mate Granic and Ljerka Mintas-Hodak and Parliament vice- president Jadranka Kosor. (hina) mm rml