PRESIDENT TUDJMAN HOLDS CLOSING SPEECH

ZAGREB, Dec 7 (Hina) - We have created the Croatian state and we shall let nobody endanger it, but for that we need unity, Croatian President and president of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party, Franjo Tudjman said in his closing speech at the party's National Committee session on Monday. The HDZ must be in the first lines in the battle for rule of law, it must be the leader of economic and cultural development, for the better standard of all strata. Tudjman said the HDZ was not created to be in power as a party, but for the creation of an independent, free and democratic Croatian state. If the HDZ should no longer be the country's central party, the survival of the Croatian state would be endangered, Tudjman stressed. We must be aware of the legacy and conditions in which the Croatian state was created, in which not everything that is negative legacy could be changed. However, this situation must be rectified, Tudjman said. "Through the policy of reconciliation and civil tolerance, we prevented a civil war, established freedom for the Croatian people, and gave freedom to those who had had no desire for Croatia. Those who deny that and who cannot reconcile with the Croatian state should not cause upsets and chaos," Tudjman stressed. He placed a particular accent on Istria (a Croatian county where the HDZ is an opposition party), stressing that the party did not know how to use what it had, which is power in its hands. Nobody has the right to say: "Nobody from the HDZ will tell us what to do," Tudjman stressed. We are not looking for fitness, we are looking for ability, capable people who will implement the Croatian state policy and we have a right to that because we are responsible, Tudjman said. He mentioned the work of HDZ party benches at the Croatian National Sabor (parliament), and stressed that the membership in parliament must be made professional. He stressed that every individual and HDZ benches must take on their duties. The programme of return must be implemented, Tudjman stressed. It is our obligation to provide care for refugees from Bosnia- Herzegovina, on the whole Croatian territory. Demographic policy must continue to be a priority, Tudjman said. He also spoke about the issue of Serbs, stressing that all difficulties being created for Croatia had the aim of equalising this Croatian state with the Independent State of Croatia (NDH, 1941-1945). Serbs in Croatia have, by siding with the Yugoslav People's Army in rebellion, mostly sided against the Croatian state, but, Tudjman said, they have been defeated in a way they could not dream possible. With our political and military victories, we have forever resolved and blunted these imperialistic attacks, Tudjman said. He stressed that from a wider national standpoint, it was not in Croatia's interest to be a nationally pure country. We have got rid of dangers for Croatia's survival, not only by military victories, but because of the tolerance of the Croatian people, Tudjman said. As victors, we can be open-hearted and forgive, but also request of them to admit to the situation they had caused. Tudjman announced a session of the HDZ Main Committee for the end of January of the beginning of February, at which the electoral headquarters will be presented and the campaign for the next elections begin. (hina) lml jn