'VJESNIK' DAILY RESPONDS TO RUBIN'S STATEMENT

ZAGREB, Dec 2 (Hina) - The editorial board of the Zagreb-based daily "Vjesnik" on Thursday responded to a Wednesday statement by US State Department spokesman James Rubin on an article published in yesterday's issue of "Vjesnik" under the headline "American Intelligence Are Sitting on IRI and USAID, Which Are Financing the Opposition Six and Answering To Montgomery". The daily finds the promptness of Rubin's response to its article suggestive. "It is also interesting that Mr James Rubin did not deny any of the claims in our article, but he did make an across-the-board claim that the article contained 'a series of baseless charges levelled at the U.S. Government and various non-governmental organisations'", the daily says. "It is very difficult to respond to such generalised accusations, all the more so as in the second part of his statement Mr Rubin confirms exactly what 'Vjesnik' claimed, namely, that the U.S. is really providing ample assistance for non-government organisations and political parties in Croatia, which are dedicated to promoting democratic principles, and that it is doing so also in other countries which are in a similar situation!" That 'Vjesnik' stated that in doing so America is governed by its own political and other interests should not be interpreted as a charge against the U.S. Government, least of all as the daily's wish to, in this pre-electoral period, divert the attention of the public "from the issue of chief public concern." And finally, aren't the promptness and the tone of Mr Rubin's reply an indication that this is actually true", read the Vjesnik statement, signed by editor-in-chief Nenad Ivankovic. (hina) rml ,