CROATIAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT RECEIVES LENI FISCHER

( Editorial: --> 4497 ) ZAGREB, June 29 (Hina) - Chairwoman of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Leni Fischer on Monday held talks with President of the Croatian National Parliament Vlatko Pavletic. Fischer is on a four-day visit to Croatia. During my stay in Croatia I would like to establish the course of the return process, trust establishment process and the process of reconstruction of cultural and historic monuments, houses and the infrastructure, Fischer said upon arriving in Zagreb. During talks with Pavletic, Fischer hailed the plan of return of refugees and displaced persons adopted by the Croatian Parliament on Friday, describing it as an important step forward. Speaking about the process of reconciliation and coexistence, Fischer said this was the most difficult problem in Croatia currently. She stressed the problem was even more difficult in Bosnia-Herzegovina. I think most time will be necessary to heal the psychological wounds, and much understanding and a strong will are necessary to accomplish this, Fischer said. Pavletic expressed hope that conditions for the return of displaced persons would be met as soon as possible so that coexistence could be realised in practice. Fischer, who used to be a member of the Council of Europe Culture Committee, expressed satisfaction about the fact that she would visit Vukovar and Dubrovnik on Tuesday, so that she could get familiar with the course of reconstruction. She stressed the Council of Europe had ten book volumes about damages to Croatian cultural and historic monuments. I have always claimed that the international community should have intervened when the shelling of Dubrovnik started, Fischer said. Asked by Fischer about Croatia's stance towards the crisis in Kosovo, Pavletic said Europe's decisions were late in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the exact same thing was happening now in Kosovo. (hina) lml as 291856 MET jun 98