RESULT OF VISIT TO ISRAEL IS ABOVE EXPECTATIONS - GRANIC

JERUSALEM, May 13 (Hina) - The result of the first official visit to Israel is above expectations, Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic said in Jerusalem on Wednesday. "The main line of talks, from Yad Vashem to the meeting with Israeli Premier and Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Ezer Weizman, Speaker of the Knesset and all other senior officials, was orientation towards the future and cooperation of the modern, democratic Croatia with the state of Israel," Granic said. He said that the talks also focused on all forms of cooperation between the two countries. Granic said that the success of the visit had been contributed to by several important factors - the statement of the Croatian government at the establishment of diplomatic relations, several public appearances by Croatian President Franjo Tudjman (especially the statement the President had given while accepting accreditations from the first Israeli Ambassador to Croatia), Tudjman's letter to President Weizman, and especially the statement Granic himself had given in Yad Vashem, as well as Croatia's clear views about World War II. "The Croatian government's quick reaction in the Sakic case also played an important role," Granic said. It is important to stress, he added, that during the talks with representatives of Israeli authority there had been no open issues. Speaking about letters he had received from the director of the Simon Weisenthal Centre in Jerusalem, Efraim Zuroff, and the director of Yad Vashem, Moshe Sanbar, which referred to some important issues Croatia should resolve with the aim of improving relations with Israel, Minister Granic said Croatia would continue dialogue on issues stated in the letters. "It is part of our policy, but at this moment, there are definitely no obstacles to the development of cooperation between Croatia and Israel," Granic said. The crown of the visit was the fact that "#it can be said with certainty that President Tudjman will visit Israel by the end of the year," he added. The preparations for Tudjman's visit are proceeding well, and the exact date will be set through diplomatic courses, Granic said. "Israel is more important for us than are the usual relations between two countries," Granic said. He added that relations between Zagreb and Jerusalem would certainly influence relations with important international factors, especially the United States. The Croatian delegation, headed by Minister Granic, on Wednesday visited the Eiu Gedi Kibbutz, Masada and the Dead Sea. (hina) lm 131942 MET may 98