MONTENEGRO'S PRIORITY NORMALISATION OF RELATIONS WITH NEIGHBOURS

ZAGREB, May 18 (Hina) - Montenegrin president Milo Djukanovic said Monday the priority of Montenegro's foreign politics was normalisation of relations with neighbours, including Croatia. "Unfortunately, relations with Croatia have for a long time been frozen...due to the blockade of official Belgrade," Djukanovic said in an interview to Croatian Television's "Motrista" show Monday night. He stressed Montenegro, despite Belgrade's opposition, has initiated steps in relations with Croatia from a standstill. Asked whether any influence could be used to free Croatian reporter Antun Masle who is kept prisoner in Podgorica, Djukanovic said Montenegrin authorities were trying to make it possible for him to be freed as soon as possible. "It is in the interest of state organs of Montenegro for Masle and all other (foreign reporters) be allowed to report from Montenegro...However, there is not a day that goes by that we do not have problems in a conflict of authority in Montenegro between federal institutions, that is, the Yugoslav Army, and republic organs of authority," Djukanovic said. Speaking about talks he had held in Brussels with the European commissioner for foreign policy, Hans van den Broek, Djukanovic said the talks had focused on the Kosovo crisis and about "requests Montenegro has posed to European Union institutions". (hina) lml jn