PRESIDENT TUDJMAN GRANTS INTERVIEW TO CRO TELEVISION - PT. 2

ZAGREB, June 24 (Hina) - The President of Croatia and the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Franjo Tudjman, gave an interview to Croatian Television (HTV) on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the HDZ. President Tudjman spoke of recent events in Croatian history and of the times prior to the creation of sovereign Croatia. HTV broadcast the interview in two parts, the first of which was aired on Wednesday evening and the second on Thursday evening. In the first part, Tudjman recalled the beginnings of the democratic transformation and the situation prior to the first free and multiparty elections, and spoke of the Croats' reconciliation. On Thursday, President Tudjman spoke about HDZ's programme as that of a people's party which comprises all Croatian strata, about the victory at the first multiparty election, the creation of independent Croatia, the defence against Serbian aggression, and international circumstances in which Croatia won its independence. Tudjman stated it is certain the HDZ would be absolutely capable of leading the Croatian people and state in the 21st century as well. I am totally certain of it, he said, as HDZ's ranks include all social strata, people committed to the national idea, and people who believe in their people and in independence. He admitted Croatia does have problems, but stressed one should not forget what it had been through, namely war, destruction, care for the displaced. Nevertheless, Tudjman added, positive results have been achieved in economy. We are not satisfied with everything, but it is up to us to achieve total success, he said. Asked to comment on claims stating the HDZ would lose at this year's election, that it had fulfilled its historical role, and that it was time it stepped down from the political scene, Tudjman said saying this were those who had fallen short of historic tasks since 1989/1990, who doubted the possibility of establishing an independent Croatia, and who ascribed all the difficulties Croatia is facing to the HDZ. Tudjman said the idea of establishing an independent Croatia did not fit into many international political visions. American diplomat Warren Zimmermann said in Belgrade at the time the first democratic elections had brought nationalism to power, which was the cause of all evil in south-eastern Europe. Asked to comment on this statement, President Tudjman said it was an opinion shared by a certain number of people who had learnt nothing from history. If any idea has survived throughout history, then it is the national idea, he said, not in a narrow chauvinistic sense, but as an idea which gathers the human race and national communities which only as such, cooperating with each other, can be the foundation of international order. There can be no general democratisation without the national idea, he stressed. President Tudjman also spoke about his endeavours to transform south-eastern Europe on the Scandinavian concept. When I spoke of that, I thought it would first be necessary to create national states in which national minorities would enjoy full legal and political freedom, he said. He recalled that Scandinavian countries had fought against each other until national states were established and minorities were given all rights. It was then that conditions for their stability were created, he stressed. Tudjman asserted the problem of the Balkans lay not only in national and religious, but also in civilisational opposites. Speaking of their historical roots, he said few were able to see the crux of the problem. The question is when will these mutual opposites be solved once for all, he assessed, but added foreign military presence was not the solution. It is an intricate situation, he said, but for Croatia the important thing is to have come out of the Balkan hell through diplomatic, political, and military victories. We must not let them drag us back into that turbulent cauldron, Tudjman added. Based on its overall historical development, Croatia belongs to Mediterranean and Central Europe, and it is up to the Croatian people's unity and economic stability to not let them play with our fate, he said. Because of their specific views, the politics of certain international factors in western Europe wish to return Croatia to the Balkans, Tudjman asserted. Recalling the times of democratic changes, he spoke of the bombing of his official residence when he had been inside. That was done to behead Croatia and it is obvious they had an agent inside the residence, he assessed. When some quasi-politicians and dilettantes say today there is no need for secret services, they should be reminded of that bombing, as well as of some other states' examples, Tudjman said. The Croatian people can preserve its independence only by remaining united and by not allowing subversive forces destroy the national being. The Croatian President was also asked to comment on some international factors' endeavours to knock him down, despite electoral victories and Croatia's independence and recognition. Tudjman said this was done for several reasons, one being that Croatia had been the only country to fight against new plans aimed at preserving a Yugoslav federation even without Slovenia. Croatia is also the bearer of small peoples' right to independence and for this reason they needed to create a different Croatia which would agree to renewed integration with the Balkans, with a different leadership with whom arrangements of interest to specific factors could be made, President Tudjman concluded. (hina) ha/ms jn