CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER HOLDS BILATERAL MEETINGS IN NEW YORK

( Editorial: --> 2885 ) NEW YORK, Sept 24 (Hina) - On Thursday during the fifth day of his visit to New York, Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic held talks with his Albanian colleague Paskal Milo. The talks evolved around the situation in Kosovo and Albania, and the UN Security Council's resolution of September 23 calling for a cease-fire and a political resolution of the problems in Kosovo. The Albanian Government welcomes the resolution as a first step towards dialogue and a political resolution for Kosovo, Milo said after the meeting with his Croatian colleague. Now it is important to send energetic messages to Milosevic, not only about humanitarian problems that have been geared in Kosovo but, first and foremost, in the interest of a negotiated and long- lasting resolution for Kosovo, the Albanian Foreign Minister assessed. The Croatian Foreign Minister also welcomed the passing of the UN Security Council's resolution on Kosovo. "The Croatian Government welcomes efforts by the international community for resolving the problem," Granic said. In a brief meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, Granic informed him about invitations by President Franjo Tudjman and Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa for Netanyahu to visit Croatia. The two countries relations are steadily improving, Granic said, adding that the meeting had proved that Israel had no objections against the trial of Dinko Sakic, the former commander of the World War II concentration camp Jasenovac. On Wednesday Granic talked with European Union Commissioner Hans van den Broek on the EU's participation at the forthcoming donors' conference and on Croatia's bid for membership in the PHARE assistance programme. Van den Broek reminded the Croatian delegation about the EU's expectations regarding Croatia's election law and the law on the state television. "We have discussed a very important thing - chances for opening of the PHARE programme by the end of the year. I would describe the chances for that happening as quite good," Minister Granic said after the meeting. "The first test will be the law on television." On Wednesday Granic also met the Portuguese Foreign Minister Jaime Gama, whose country will open an embassy in Zagreb soon. Minister Granic is leading a Croatian delegation at the 53rd session of the UN General Assembly. (Hina) mro /mbr 242056 MET sep 98