CRO GOVT WELCOMES U.S. ADMINISTRATION'S STAND ON SUCCESSION - JURICA

JURICA $ ZAGREB, Oct 3 (Hina) - The Croatian government welcomes the announcement of the U.S. administration's more active role in reaching a solution concerning succession to the former Yugoslavia, the head of the Croatian government's Communications Office, Neven Jurica, told reporters in Zagreb on Friday. It is very significant that the U.S. administration has decided to put strong stress on the necessity of a fair succession model which, Jurica said, Croatia has advocated from the start. He recalled Croatia has advocated the normalization of relations with neighbours. Jurica mentioned the six bilateral agreements recently signed with Yugoslavia. A trade agreement has recently been drawn up following a second round of negotiations, he said, adding an agreement on money transfers and other agreements are in the preliminary stages as well, Jurica said. He added the development and normalization of good neighbourly relations based on sovereignty and equality was both possible and real, even outside regional cooperation frameworks and regional projects. That, Jurica stressed, was the best denial of claims stating normalization and stability could be achieved only within wider regional frameworks of conditionality and connection. Current pressures on Croatia have been directed at the wrong address, Jurica said in relation to queries by some circles of the Croatian public on the reasons for the pressures. The Croatian leadership has on several occasions showed explicitly the forcefulness and success in complying with all obligations which are in Croatia's interest, he stressed. Croatia's policy is transparent, open and democratic, and there is nothing in it that needs to be hidden, Jurica concluded. (hina) ha jn 032151 MET oct 97