MATESA, CONTACT GROUP REPS DID NOT DISCUSS ALLEGED U.S. INITIATIVE TO SUSPEND CROATIA FROM COUNCIL OF EUROPE

TO SUSPEND CROATIA FROM COUNCIL OF EUROPE ZAGREB, 23 Sept (Hina) - Following his meeting with representatives of the extended Contact Group early Tuesday afternoon, Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa held a short press conference. Asked whether participants in the meeting had also discussed a headline published in the latest issue of the weekly 'Nacional' on the alleged initiative of the U.S. State Department aimed at suspending Croatia from the Council of Europe, Matesa said that no headlines or any U.S. initiatives had been discussed at the meeting, and that the Council of Europe had not been mentioned at all. Asked whether he personally knew anything about the alleged initiative, Matesa said he knew about it as much as reporters did. "If the initiative really exists, then it is, to say the least, strange," said Matesa. (hina) mm rm 231800 MET sep 97