MATESA: CROATIA DOESN'T WANT INTERNATIONAL HELP TO BE RECIPROCAL FAVOUR FOR ITS COOPERATION WITH ICTY

FAVOUR FOR ITS COOPERATION WITH ICTY ZAGREB, 19 Sept (Hina) - "Croatia does not want any economic help from the international community as a reciprocal favour for its cooperation with the Hague Tribunal (ICTY). Croatia will cooperate with the Hague Tribunal but we don't want to trade people for loans," Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa told reporters at a briefing on Friday when asked for his opinion about a statement by the U.S. ambassador in charge of war crimes issues, David Scheffer. Scheffer stated on Thursday that Croatia would be locked out of international economic support if it failed to cooperate with the Hague Tribunal. Matesa said that Scheffer's request was immoral. "I would like to ask the man who gave that statement where Martic and other people who launched rockets on Zagreb are and where Republika Srpska leaders are," Matesa said. We will cooperate with the Hague Tribunal on the basis of Croatia's overall interests, Matesa said, warning that the international community did not want to recognise the fact that the largest number of those handed over to the Hague Tribunal were Croats. Foreign Ministry spokesman Zeljko Trkanjec said that next week a Croatian delegation would travel to The Hague, where it would participate in a discussion on the ICTY subpoena. Matesa also spoke about the measures the Government was taking in fighting corruption. Commenting on some newspaper headlines relating to the investigation into a case of corruption in the Economy Ministry, Matesa said that Economy Minister Nenad Porges enjoyed the support of the Government, which on Thursday accepted Porges' report. The decision on relieving Assistant Economy Minister Ivan Skoro was in no way connected with the case, but was part of the process of reorganisation of the Ministry which had started earlier. The Government has a special program for fighting corruption, Matesa said, adding that "no one who wants to be involved in illegal doings will be peaceful." Asked to comment on his talks with the Slovene Premier Janez Drnovsek, Matesa expressed satisfaction, adding that a Croatian- Slovene agreement on the joint nuclear power plant 'Krsko' would probably be signed very soon. He also stressed good understanding in solving all other questions which exist between the two states. (hina) jn rm 191801 MET sep 97