NEW AMBASSADORS HAND OVER CREDENTIALS TO CROATIAN PRESIDENT

( Editorial: --> 6682 ) ZAGREB, May 26 (Hina) - New ambassadors of Slovenia, Japan and Greece handed over their credentials to Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Tuesday in Zagreb. Euro-Atlantic integration processes are a common aim of Slovenia and Croatia and good bilateral relations are actually a real membership card for Europe and the world community, said the Slovene Ambassador Bostjan Kovacic handing his credentials to Tudjman. Slovenia expects crucial steps to be made in solving problems which exist between the two countries during Tudjman's visit (announced for July), Kovacic said. "There are few countries in Europe and the world which are directed towards one another like Croatia and Slovenia," said Tudjman adding that what both countries lived through in the recent past was a good foundation for bilateral cooperation. As for the problems, Tudjman said, they existed and should indeed be solved because it was in the interest of Slovenia and Croatia, and because Europe had also requested that as a precondition for approaching its institutions. Tudjman also received the new Japanese Ambassador Keisuke Ohba. In his inaugural speech Ohba reminded that the recent opening of the Japanese Embassy in Zagreb on February 1 was the best demonstration of Japan's wish for development of good relations with Croatia. Croatia attaches great importance to its relations with Japan because of the significance Japan has in the world, especially in economic terms, Tudjman said. The new Greek Ambassador to Croatia Stavros Georges Kristian Vasilopoulos relayed the warm personal greetings of Greek President Stefanopoulos to President Tudjman. Tudjman, who is expected to visit Greece in autumn, expressed hope that state obligations would allow him to realise his announced visit. (hina) jn bag/rml 261746 MET may 98