TUDJMAN RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL RAPPORTEURS ON HUMAN RIGHTS

ZAGREB, Feb 9 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Tuesday received a delegation of international rapporteurs on human rights. According to a statement issued by the Croatian President's office, during the Zagreb talks Tudjman reiterated that his country was willing to follow the highest democratic achievements of the present-day Europe. Despite problems of the transition from the totalitarian system to democracy and aggression that had been launched against Croatia, this country has made and is applying laws that protect human and minorities' rights at the highest levels, he added. Our aim is the full membership in Euro-Atlantic institutions, and the international community should demonstrate stronger support and better understanding of the Croatian circumstances, as the Croatian people, that always belonged to the Central and Western European civilisation circle, cannot accept regional approaches under which Croatia is placed on the western Balkans or in south- eastern Europe, Tudjman stressed. The delegation consisted of Are Jostein Nordheim, a representative of the chairman of the OSCE (Organisation for the Security and Cooperation in Europe), Max van der Stoel who is the OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities, Jiri Dienstbier, a UN special rapporteur for the area of the former Yugoslavia, Hans Peter Furrer, the Council of Europe director for political issues, Gerard Stoudmann, the director of the OSCE Office for the Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Freimut Duve, an OSCE representative for the freedom of media, and Tim Guldimann who is the head of the OSCE mission in Croatia. (hina) jn ms