CROATIAN GOVT SURPRISED AT MR. VINTHER'S STATEMENT

( Editorial: --> 4432 ) ZAGREB, Sept 30 (Hina) - The Croatian Government on Wednesday expressed surprise with a claim by European Commission special envoy to Zagreb Per Vinther, saying Croatia would today be a member of the PHARE programme and have some kind of co-operation agreement with the European Union had it not undertaken "Flash" and "Storm" operations. Vinther gave this statement in a Tuesday interview with Reuters. In the summer of 1995, the Croatian armed forces launched operations "Flash" and "Storm" and liberated Croatia's central and southern areas, which at the time and since 1991 were under Serb occupation. "The Croatian Government believes that to associate the operations "Flash" and "Storm" with the opening of the PHARE programme is politically extremely inappropriate and unacceptable. Statements like the one presented yesterday by the EC representative can lead to the conclusion that the real cause of numerous inadequate pressures against Croatia, which we are witnessing, is exactly the fact that Croatia has managed to achieve its independence and full sovereignty on the whole of its internationally recognised territory virtually on its own. This obviously is not in harmony with the interests of individual international factors," the Government statement said. The Government, enjoying the full support of Croatian citizens, reiterates its strategic aim of further development on the road towards full integration into the Europe of the 21st century. "In the interest of full democratisation of the society and the successful economic transition, we expect EU's sincere support, especially through the proven effectiveness of its mechanisms such as the PHARE programme, as well as through the institutionalisation of relations and financial and other support in the process of return, reconstruction and development." "Unfortunately, if the presented reasons are the real reasons why this form of EU assistance has not been granted, there is nothing else for us but to conclude that the attitude the EU has adopted towards Croatia is in its very foundations considerably different from that adopted towards other central European and eastern European transition countries. Such an attitude could objectively aggravate and slow down the multi-layered process of transformation of the Croatian society and economy," the statement said. Concluding the statement, the Government expresses "its readiness for a constructive and open dialogue with EU representatives, as the only way towards the establishment of a sincere partnership." (hina) jn rml /sp 302057 MET sep 98