ILOK CROATS, SERBS, SLOVAKS START JOINT VINTAGE

ILOK, 20 Sept (Hina) - This year's 30th Ilok vintage does not symbolise only the celebration of grapes and wine, but is rather one of the foundation stones in the reconstruction of mutual trust and tolerance between Croats, Serbs and members of all other people living in Ilok, said Croatian Parliament Vice President Vladimir Seks at Saturday's opening of the Ilok vintage. The opening ceremony was attended by high Croatian officials, U.N. Transitional Administrator for Eastern Slavonia, William Walker and other UNTAES officials, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Zlatko Dominikovic, Presidential Deputy Chief- Of-Staff Vesna Skare Ozbolt, the head of the State Agency for Mediation in Certain Real Estate Transactions, Ivica Vrkic, the head of the Centre for Development and Reconstruction of the Danube river region, Ivan Krstanovic, the president of the Joint Council of Municipalities in eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Srijem, Milos Vojnovic, and other leaders of the local Serb community. The Croatian Parliament and Government would do all they can to secure equal living and all rights for all citizens, as individuals as well as members of the collective, Seks said. Although some reactions to the idea of inter-ethnic reconciliation in Croatia were negative, today we are witnessing a perfect example of reconciliation, Transitional Administrator Walker said greeting the gathered. Expressing satisfaction with the successful organisation of the Ilok vintage, Ilok mayor Stipan Kraljevic said he hoped that the event would contribute to the reconstruction of tourism in the area. Vukovar County Prefect Rudolf Koenig said it was not unusual that the vintage is being held in Ilok, as Ilok had proved to be the best example of peaceful reintegration and can serve as an example for other municipalities in the Danube river region. The president of the Serb Democratic Independent Party (SDSS), MP Vojislav Stanimirovic expressed satisfaction and hope that the success of the Ilok vintage would bring closer the displaced and refugees and contribute to a speedier two-way return. The Ilok vintage, organised this year by the Ilok municipal leadership and Vinkovci Autumns for the first time after the occupation of Ilok, is attended by Croat, Serb and Slovak cultural societies from Bapska, Berak, Ceric, Ilok, Donje Novo Selo, Slavonski Brod, Zagreb, Vinkovci, Bobota and Borovo Selo. The vintage is being held with displayed Croatian and U.N. flags and the flags of the Serb and Slovak national communities, as well as Ilok and Vukovar County coats-of-arms. According to UNTAES, the Croatian coat-of-arms was left out, in accordance with previous agreement. (hina) rm 201416 MET sep 97