ZUZUL DISCUSSES SAKIC'S EXTRADITION WITH B'NAI B'RITH LEADERS

( Editorial: --> 6824 ) WASHINGTON, April 15 (Hina) - Croatia's Ambassador in the United States Miomir Zuzul on Tuesday received representatives of the Jewish association B'nai B'rith - its international president Tommy Baer and the head of the Centre for Social Policy, George Spectre. Zuzul conveyed a message by the Croatian President Tudjman saying "he has ordered authorised bodies in Croatia to initiate the procedure of extradition of Dinko Sakic and to organise his trial immediately, effectively and openly". Zuzul also relayed President Tudjman's message that the trial be "held in an open atmosphere" and called on the representatives of B'nai B'rith and other interested organisations to assist and participate in the trial. The Croatian ambassador welcomed the interest B'nai B'rith was showing in the issue and stressed that it was important to see that "truth and justice be brought to light as regards Dinko Sakic, Jasenovac and World War II". Adding that the roots of anti-fascism ran deeply in Croatia of today, Zuzul mentioned the historical foundations of the Constitution, statements by President Tudjman and the role of the anti-fascist movement in Croatia, as well as the fact that President Tudjman fought against nazism for four years. According to B'nai B'rith, last week Baer visited Argentina and called on the Argentinean government to extradite Sakic to Croatia without delay. During a meeting with the Croatian President in 1995, the leadership of B'nai B'rith asked that the commander of the Jasenovac concentration camp be tried. This influential Jewish organisation believes that 600,000 people, including 25,000 Jews, were killed in Jasenovac. (hina) rm , 151052 MET apr 98