UN COMMISSION ADOPTS HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTION IN CROATIA & BOSNIA &

( Editorial: --> 8761 ) GENEVA, April 22 (Hina) - The UN Human Rights Commission on Wednesday adopted a Resolution on Human Rights in Countries- Signatories to the Dayton Agreement - Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The Resolution applauded the successful completion of the mandate of the UN Transitional Administration in Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Srijem (UNTAES), as well as the ratification of the European Convention on Human Rights and Croatia's cooperation with the UN human rights rapporteur. In the Resolution, the UN called on Croatia to invest greater efforts in the implementation of democratic principles and to, in line with international standards, reach the highest degree of respect of human rights. Croatia was also called on to expedite the realisation of the trust establishment programme, with the aim of speeding up the return of all refugees and displaced persons to their homes, "especially into Krajina", and with the aim of reviving the multi-ethnic character of Eastern Slavonia, Western Srijem and other parts of Croatia. The Resolution also called for the cessation of plunderage and physical abuse of Croatian Serbs, adding that they should be encouraged to stay in Croatia. Croatia was called on to guarantee the freedom of association and the freedom of the press, and to undertake concrete steps which would establish independent editorial in electronic media and enable the Opposition's access to state television channels. The Croatian delegation actively participated in the discussion about the Resolution on Human Rights in Croatia and had managed to considerably influence the balancing of the text of the Resolution. The head of the Croatian delegation, Ambassador Darko Bekic, presented reasons why the Croatian delegation could not co-sponsor the Resolution. Bekic stressed that - contrary to the general concept - the human rights situation in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and FRY had, this year too, been viewed in regional terms, i.e. without taking into consideration the objectively different situations in the mentioned countries, and sufficient differentiation in the estimation of their achievements in the sphere of human rights. The Croatian delegation especially opposes the interpretation of the Resolution according to which regulations on cooperation of the national legislation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, stipulated in an agreement signed in Rome last year and adopted only for Bosnia-Herzegovina, are attempted to be expanded to Croatia. It is also unacceptable to Croatia that the responsibility for the solution of humanitarian aspects of missing persons' problems is being laid solely on Croatia according to the Resolution, which is contrary to the latest report by the UN special human rights rapporteur, Elisabeth Rhen, in which she underlined which side was mostly responsible for the slow resolution of the problem of missing persons. (hina) lm/mrb 222101 MET apr 98