CROATIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES PERUVIAN AMBASSADOR

( Editorial: --> 7834 ) ZAGREB, Sept 3 (Hina) - The Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Thursday received the Rome-based Ambassador of Peru, Luis Solari, who handed Tudjman his credentials. This is Solari's second mandate in Croatia. The Peruvian government will continue promoting friendly relations between the two countries in politics, economy and culture, Solari said. Croatian emigrants, who have been coming to Peru for centuries, are an important link between the two countries. In the 16th century, a merchant from Dubrovnik, Bazilio Bazilievic, and a group of seamen founded a parish in Peru and named it San Blas del Cuzco. Another Croat, Juan Bielovucich, made the first successful flight in Peru and South America in 1911, and became one of the pioneers of civil aviation on that continent. The fact that Croatia was not an independent country for a number of centuries is one of the factors which forced Croats to emigrate to other countries, Tudjman said. The Croatian diaspora in Peru represents a link between the two countries and an obligation for the two countries to develop overall relations, he added. Following the establishment of its independence, Croatia has achieved considerable results in its social and political development as well as in economy, Tudjman said. The new awareness of the Croatian people is a guarantee that Croatia will continue to successfully solve problems, he added. (hina) rml . 031442 MET sep 98