PRESIDENT TUDJMAN RECEIVES HANNS SEIDEL FOUNDATION REPS

ZAGREB, March 4 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Friday received a Hanns Seidel foundation delegation, the President's Office said in a statement. #L# President of the foundation, Alfred Bayer, and director of the Croatian "Hrvatski Drzavni Zavjet" Foundation, Ivic Pasalic, informed Tudjman about the exceptionally good cooperation between the two foundations and their joint projects so far and in the future. Bayer stressed that an important project of the two foundations was opening of doors to Croatian economy in Bavaria, as well as in the whole of Germany and European Union countries. State Secretary at the Bavarian Interior Minister and member of the Bavarian government, Herman Regesburger, informed Tudjman about the support of the Hanns Seidel foundation in the cooperation between the Bavarian Interior Ministry and Croatian Interior Ministry, describing the safety situation in Croatia as exceptionally calm. President Tudjman expressed satisfaction with the cooperation of the two foundations so far, stressing support in the drawing up of joint projects for the stimulation of production in Croatia. The fact that Croatia is a stable country shows the absurdity of the attempt of its regional connecting with the Balkans which, as the latest events show, are in chaos. Croatia was for good relations with neighbouring countries, but historically and culturally it did not belong to the Balkans, which was proved by century-old civilisation ties between Croatia and central European countries, Tudjman said. Present at the meeting were Smiljko Sokol, member of the administration, Zdeslav Milas, deputy director of the "Hrvatski Drzavni Zavjet" foundation, German Ambassador to Croatia, Volker Haak, director of the Institute for International Meeting and Cooperation Reiner Gepperth, and Hanns Seidel foundation's representative in Croatia, Hanns Solemacher, the statement said. (hina) lm 141300 MET mar 97