PRESIDENT TUDJMAN HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE IN LISBON

( Editorial: --> 9566 ) LISBON, June 7 (Hina) - The official Lisbon expresses a high degree of understanding for Croatian views, Croatian President Franjo Tudjman told a news conference in Lisbon Sunday. Tudjman is visiting Portugal for the world exhibition EXPO '98. Talks with Portuguese President Jorge Sampian, focused on Croatia's position and the situation in the neighbouring Balkans, Tudjman said. "I can say that I am very satisfied with the understanding for Croatian views," Tudjman said. Croatia, as a country which belongs to the Central European and Mediterranean cultural and civilisation circle, cannot accept suggestions for its joining any kind of associations in the region of the neighbouring Balkans, he said. But also, he added, Croatia is interested in the establishment of a stable international order in that part of Europe, and is ready, as a factor of peace, to contribute to that end. The biggest problem for Croatia is the crisis in Bosnia- Herzegovina, in whose peaceful solution Croatia is especially interested because of its geopolitical ties with that country and because of the fate of the Croat people in Bosnia-Herzegovina, as well as because of the strategic interests of the Croatian state, as it borders with Bosnia-Herzegovina, Tudjman said. Portuguese reporters were interested whether Tudjman feared that the crisis in Kosovo could reflect on Croatia. "I am not worried that the conflict in Kosovo could spread to Croatia. However, I am concerned about how this serious crisis in the Balkans which has been a powder keg since the 19th century can be solved, and the international community is not showing sufficient determination and boldness to solve the problem," Tudjman said. Asked about the stance of the official Lisbon about the most recent requests by the European Union and international community that Croatia should fulfil its assumed obligations, Tudjman stressed that it was not about not fulfilling obligations, but about certain unrealistic requests that Croatia should accept all Serb refugees. "It is the stance of Croatia that it will solve the individual cases of return of Serb refugees, out of humanitarian reasons," Tudjman said. He added that Lisbon understood Croatian stances. "There is mutual interest and historical predisposition for more profound economic and other relations between Croatia and Portugal," Tudjman said. He recalled that the historical Dubrovnik Republic had had very developed economic and maritime ties with Portugal. Tudjman expressed hope that Croatia's exhibition at EXPO '98, which attracted noticeable attention, would also contribute to the further development of bilateral relations. Good relations with Portugal are important for Croatia because 220 million people all over the world spoke Portuguese, as Portugal once had colonies, so, this is an opportunity for Croatia to, through relations with Portugal, expand its connections to several other countries, especially in Africa. (hina) lml 072030 MET jun 98