TUDJMAN RECEIVES CREDENTIALS FROM 3 NEWLY APPOINTED AMBASSADORS

ZAGREB, April 20 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Tuesday received the newly appointed ambassadors of Slovakia, The Republic of South Africa, and Bangladesh, who presented him with credentials. The newly appointed Slovak Ambassador, Jan Petrik, said "no scars could be found" in the history of relations between the two countries, adding there were many examples of mutual help between Slovaks and Croatians. Petrik said Slovakia expected President Tudjman's visit. Pointing to the close relations between the two countries, Tudjman said he had many friends in Slovakia during the democratic movement in 1960s. Accepting the credentials of the Budapest-based South African Ambassador, Thanduyis Henry Chiliz, Tudjman stressed that several thousands of Croats living in the Republic of South Africa were a bridge of friendship between the two countries. The Bonn-based Bangladeshi Ambassador, Kazi Anwarul Masud, said that the new government in his country had outlined trade economy as one of the priorities in achieving the fast progress of Bangladesh. The Croatian President assessed that, although geographically distant, Croatia and Bangladesh had room for a successful development of relations. (hina) it/jn/ ha