SANADER RECEIVES HEAD OF EU MONITORING MISSION

( Editorial: --> 3090 ) ZAGREB, Jan 8 (Hina) - Croatian Deputy Foreign Minister Ivo Sanader on Thursday received the incoming head of the European Union Monitoring Mission, Ambassador Peter Streams. Streams will head the mission for the next six months during which time the United Kingdom will chair the EU. Sanader acquainted his guest with the priorities of Croatia's foreign affairs after the successful termination of the UNTAES mandate in eastern Croatia on January 15. It is important to continue with the normalisation of relations with Yugoslavia and initiate negotiations on a bilateral agreement on the protection of minorities, Sanader said. Croatia will continue to fully support a consistent implementation of the Washington and Dayton peace agreements, with the aim to strengthen the peace process, said the deputy foreign minister. Upon achieving full territorial integrity, Croatia will be able to fully concentrate on an overall interior economic development, the strengthening of democracy and its strategic foreign affairs priorities, such as the inclusion into Central European and European and Atlantic institutions, Sanader said. Ambassador Streams thanked the Croatian Government for the successful cooperation achieved to date. The activities of the Monitoring Mission, especially after its seat transferred from Zagreb to Sarajevo in May 1997, will be primarily directed at Bosnia-Herzegovina, said Streams. In Croatia, he added, the EU Monitoring Mission will support the monitoring mission of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which will stay in eastern Croatia after January 15. (hina) ha jn 081741 MET jan 98