YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT MEETS CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

BELGRADE, Sept 15 (Hina) - Following the signing of six bilateral agreements between Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) on Monday, Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic received Croatian Foreign Minister. After the reception Granic told reporters that Milosevic had expressed support to the process of peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danube river area and to further work on achievement of new treaties in accordance with the normalisation agreement signed by the two countries a year before. Granic said that the question of succession of the ex- Yugoslavia (SFRY) and the issue of the Croatian southernmost part, the peninsula of Prevlaka, remained open. Commenting on the succession, the Croatian minister said that he got an impression that Yugoslavia's interest was growing in that the negotiations on the issue were no longer at a standstill and that the Yugoslav side might change its stance. Granic added that the completion of the succession negotiations was in the interest of Croatia, Yugoslavia and the international community. Up to now the FRY opposed the joint opinion of all of other successor countries to the former Yugoslavia on this matter. Granic said that there were different stands on Prevlaka which Croatia regards as a security question. He said that the differences represented no obstacle in the process of normalising bilateral relations. Croatia has reiterated several times that Prevlaka is a sovereign part of the country's territory, and this has been confirmed by UN resolutions. Croatia is, therefore, ready to talk only about security issues on that part of the border. Granic said that there were realistic prospects of signing another six bilateral agreements, including a package on economic cooperation, between Croatia and Yugoslavia by the end of this year. A statement issued by Milosevic's office after the talks said that they had concluded together that it was necessary to continue holding "regular political dialogue between representatives of the FRY and Croatia, as it is the best way to solve remaining open questions in bilateral relations." (hina) jn mš 151949 MET sep 97