COUNCIL OF EUROPE REPORT ON CROATIA UNBALANCED - OBULJEN

( Editorial: --> 7691 ) ZAGREB, Apr 18 (Hina) - Croatia has forwarded remarks to Council of Europe representatives and called on its rapporteurs to repeat their visit to Croatia, the head of the Croatian delegation at the Council's Parliamentary Assembly, Nikola Obuljen, told Hina Saturday. Croatia believes the Council representatives' preliminary report on Croatia is not balanced as it puts too much focus on the issue of the Serb refugees' return, said Obuljen, who spoke to Hina before leaving for Strasbourg to attend the spring conference of the Parliamentary Assembly between April 20 and 24. "The report on Croatia was not done methodologically and we had many remarks about it", Obuljen said. Most of the report focused on the return of Serb refugees and displaced persons and issues related to their property and issuance of identity papers. The preliminary report was discussed by the Council of Europe Monitoring Committee in Paris in March. "We ask that the report (review) all of our commitments", Obuljen told Hina, explaining the report should review Croatia's compliance with the 21 obligations it took upon entering the Council of Europe. "We have proposed that rapporteurs visit Croatia again, since much time has passed since the last visit, many changes have taken place, and a new rapporteur has been appointed", Obuljen said. A Council of Europe delegation last visited Croatia in October last year. "Six months have passed since the last visit, the UNTAES (United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia) mandate has expired, Croatia has taken over authority in the (eastern) Danube river region, and a number of refugees have returned", Obuljen said. He added new rapporteur Jan Figel had not yet visited Croatia. During the spring conference, Croatian judges are expected to be chosen for the Human Rights Court. The Council's Parliamentary Assembly chooses among three candidates from each country. Asked about Croatia's standpoint concerning the candidacy of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to access the Council of Europe, Obuljen said FRY must pass the identical procedure as all other new members. (hina) ha 181411 MET apr 98