CROATIAN PRESIDENT GIVES INTERVIEW TO EKA INTERNATIONAL NEWS AGENCY

AGENCY $ ZAGREB, Sept 21 (Hina)- On occasion of the upcoming visit of Turkish President Suleyman Demirel to Croatia, Croatian President Franjo Tudjman gave an interview to the Turkish news agency EKA International. During the interview, Tudjman described relations between Croatia and Turkey as "friendly and developed". "Turco-Croat cooperation can serve in every respect as a model for building friendly relations between countries belonging to different cultural spheres," Tudjman said. During the present crisis and war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, "Turkey has played an important role in building relations of confidence between the Croat and Bosniac peoples, in the establishment of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and in the reinforcement of the peace process. All these numerous ties gave rise to the need for frequent meetings of the two presidents, which in their turn, resulted in my personal friendly relations with President Demirel. His opinions and advice have had a positive bearing both on the Moslem and on the Croat side in the consideration of the strategic moves which have led to the establishment of peace and current relations," Tudjman said. Asked about the future of relations between Croatia and Turkey, Tudjman said, "As I have already noted, the political- governmental relations between the two states are excellent, friendly and stable, and in this regard we can only look forward to their future progress". "So far we have signed the Agreement on Economic cooperation, the Agreement on the Protection of Investments, and on the occasion of the visit of President Demirel, we shall sign the Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation. This will round off the legal framework for the future development and promotion of trade and economic relations. The value of the current trade between the two countries amounts to US $ 40 to 50 million, but I believe that there are good preconditions for its substantial improvement," Tudjman said. "Further development of trade could be promoted by the establishment of a free trade zone in the future, once all the prerequisites have been provided for. Analogously, the establishment of a ferry line between Turkish and Croatian ports would directly promote trilateral relations among Turkey, Croatia and the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. In the political field, I am sure that Turkey, as a member of the NATO, can support our strategic objectives - integration into Transantlantic institutions and, specifically, into Partnership for Peace. As a whole, I believe that there are solid foundations for comprehensive cooperation in all fields," Tudjman said. Asked which steps were necessary in order to institutionalise peace in the Balkans and the former Yugoslavia, Tudjman said, "Let me repeat the assessment that the Republic of Turkey has made a major contribution to stopping the war and initiating the peace process, recognising the causes underlying the conflict and the aggressor, which have again turned the Balkans into a 'powder keg' just as many times in history. In spite of the signs of instability, which are the result of the complex situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina where peoples belonging to three different civilisations face and confront one another, I believe that the political framework for the solution of this very serious crisis exists, and that it is comprised in the Washington and Dayton agreements. The indispensable peace can be achieved through the consistent implementation of these agreements, and Croatia endorses their implementation by words and deeds". "Any other interpretation and attempt to impose a different solution involves the risk of new conflicts. The Croato-Bosniac Federation, and its special relations with Croatia, is the key to the solution of the problem of relations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and its implementation is a continuous task. A new impulse to this was provided in my August 6 meeting in Split with the President of the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Mr. Izetbegovic, and the representatives of the Croatian people in the Federation, as well as with the representatives of the United States of America. Good neighbourly relations and normal cooperation should be established in the area of the former Yugoslavia in which new independent and sovereign states have emerged, and this is one of the essential frames of reference of Croatia's foreign policy," Tudjman said. "I expect Turkey to sustain its past constructive role and contribution, particularly with respect to the implementation of the Croato-Bosniac Federation. In addition to having excellent relations with the Republic of Croatia, Turkey has specific ties with the Bosniac-Moslem people, which have also so far proved to be of great value in the achievement of a peaceful solution," Tudjman said. "It should be pointed out that the crisis in the former Yugoslavia has been very complex for the international community and international organisations, both because of different strategic interests and because of the ignorance of the historical and political causes underlying the disintegration of the former community, which has also led in some cases to an absence of condemnation of the aggressor. We owe gratitude to those countries, statesmen and, first and foremost, humanitarian organisations whose efficient assistance has helped to establish peace. However, as a whole, I think that the international community has been neither adequately efficient, nor united in preventing the cruellest war to break out in Europe after the Second World War," Tudjman said. "First and foremost, we expect the international community to be fully responsible and efficient in the consistent implementation of the Washington and Dayton agreements. Only an impartial and balanced approach, with the full respect of the equality and constituent character of the three peoples in Bosnia-Herzegovina, will provide for the implementation of the 'Dayton formula' (one state - two entities - three peoples, with the right of the two entities to establish special relations with their neighbouring parent nations) and, thus, for insuring peace in the region. This will possibly require a longer involvement of the international community than has originally been envisioned. Greater material aid in caring for the refugees and displaced persons, and for the reconstruction of economic life, is also required. By the way, let me just mention that the Republic of Croatia, as the victim of the Yugocommunist and Serbian aggression, has suffered war damage amounting to US $ 25 billion, and that it has so far financed the care for displaced persons and the reconstruction of war-ravaged areas on its own, with only 10% of the cost having been provided through international aid. Finally, and I am talking specifically of the interest of the Republic of Croatia, one should provide for the integration of the region into European and Transatlantic economic and security organisations, which would generally contribute to peace and stability," Tudjman said. Tudjman stressed that Croatia wanted to have normal, good neighbourly relations with countries in the region and other countries, but he opposed every attempt focused on integration within Balkan or South-eastern European integrations. Finally, he said, "I welcome with satisfaction the visit of my friend President Demirel, who will be given a worthy reception and a broad scope of opportunities for discussion of all topics, and that will contribute to promoting and expanding the friendly relations between our peoples and states in many fields. Along with the best wishes for the welfare of the Turkish people - and Croatia follows internal developments attentively - let me point out the importance, for Turkey and Croatia alike, of safeguarding independence in the achievement of national and state interests because of the continuous presence of contradictions in the international community. While sustaining and developing democratic order on the domestic scene, we must continue to provide our own contribution to peace and the strengthening of stability in the present-day world, and particularly in our own environment. On the threshold of the new millennium we must endeavour to achieve these goals together, particularly because our region is also distinguished by the confrontation of civilisational differences. We must seek solutions which will free the entire Balkan region, as well as the regions of central and South-eastern Europe linked with it, of the liabilities of the past, in order to build a new international order which will take into account all historical experience and all the reality of the present-day state of affairs. This is definitely not an easy task, because the depth and complexity of the current Balkan crisis certainly bears witness to the civilisational dimensions of the conflict. However, if the international factors grasp the necessity of appreciating this fact, I am convinced that purposeful solutions can be found in the interest of peace and of stability of a new international order in the region. (hina) lm 211534 MET sep 97