CROATIAN DIPLOMAT VISITS 'GLOBUS' REPORTER IN PODGORICA PRISON

ZAGREB, May 17 (Hina) - A Croatian consular official has visited a reporter of the Croatian weekly 'Globus', Antun Masle, in prison in Montenegro and provided him with necessary consular protection, the Croatian Foreign Ministry reported on Monday. "The Ministry is pleased to say that it finally received the approval of the Yugoslav authorities, and that shortly afterwards a consular official of the Croatian Foreign Ministry visited Mr Masle in prison and provided him with all the necessary and possible consular protection", the statement read. The official will continue visiting the reporter until his expected release, the Ministry added. The 'Globus' reporter was arrested a month ago by the Yugoslav army police, after he had entered Montenegro via Albania, where he had reported about the Kosovo crisis. He has been in a Podgorica prison since. The military authorities charge him with revealing a military secret. The Croatian Foreign Ministry has informed all relevant international bodies about the case, including the U.N. Security Council, U.N. Secretary-General and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic has called on the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, during a meeting in Budapest on May 6, as well as on U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson to provide assistance in Masle's release. (hina) rml