CRO EDUCATION MINISTER & OSCE CHIEF DISCUSS REPORT

( Editorial: --> 8276 ) ZAGREB, June 2 (Hina) - The Minister for Education and Sport Bozidar Pugelnik on Tuesday in Zagreb held talks with head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission in Croatia Tim Guldimann about OSCE's report on education. Guldimann thanked the Ministry for their detailed analysis of the Special Report on Education, which OSCE released on March 30 this year. He accepted some of the observations made by Pugelnik and others including the remark that the report has factual mistakes, said the joint press statement. Guldimann expressed regret for the mistakes in the report and confirmed that they could have been avoided by open dialogue with the Ministry for Education and Sport, says the statement. The report made a list of observations of the Croatian schooling system, education of minorities, especially Serbs as well as history textbooks. Back then their judgements were met with strong reactions by the representative of the Education Ministry, and some of OSCE's allegations were immediately denied by the Ministry. During Tuesday's talks Minister Pugelnik stressed that the Croatian Government and its ministry are carefully taking care of the contents of history textbooks and that they stand behind the content of current textbooks. He said that the Ministry is ready to consider OSCE's well intended observations in that regard but on the whole holds the right to independently decide on the program of its education system. Referring to OSCE's recommendation on the possibility of establishing a special government commission for work on school history textbooks, Guldimann said that the idea surfaced at a seminar on education, human rights and reconciliation, which was in December 1997 organised by UNTAES and the Council of Europe in conjunction with 40 teachers from the Croatian Danube River region. Guldimann explained that the Special Report on Education was prepared as a part of the Mission's responsibility toward minority rights, as was agreed to by the Croatian Government and OSCE. He said that OSCE will continue to prepare special reports on subjects which relate to its mandate but will consult with Croatian authorities before releasing such reports, said the statement. Guldimann praised the Croatian Government's decision of May 28, 1998 on the appointment of Milan Milic as Assistant Minister for Education and Sport who was suggested by the Joint Council of Municipalities with Serb majority in the Croatian Danube River region. (hina) jn bag/lml 021542 MET jun 98