CRO VICE PREMIER HOLDS TALKS WITH COUNCIL OF EUROPE LEGAL AFFAIRS DIRE

DIRE $ CTOR ZAGREB, Oct 6 (Hina) - Croatian vice premier Ljerka Mintas-Hodak on Monday afternoon held talks with the Council of Europe's legal affairs director, Guy de Vel, which focused on Croatia's obligations towards the Council, the reintegration of the judiciary in the Danube river region of eastern Croatia, and possibilities of the Council's expert and technical legal assistance in drafting bills and settling problematic projects (corruption prevention, money laundering). Mintas-Hodak informed de Vel about Council of Europe conventions already ratified by the Croatian parliament, and a convention on human rights soon to be forwarded for ratification. De Vel said he was in Croatia to cooperate with the government and assist in meeting commitments already being complied with, and not to supervise Croatia's compliance with obligations towards the Council. A lot has been done, he said, but added some problems remained and required the Council's assistance. We must solve them together, de Vel said. The Croatian vice premier said that "together with UNTAES and in cooperation with the Croatian Ministry of Justice, the Council of Europe will in the near future organize a seminar where residents of the Croatian Danube river region will get acquainted better with Croatian legislation." De Vel said his visit to Croatia was also aimed at meeting as many government ministers and judiciary officials engaged in the reformation of institutions and the judiciary in Croatia as possible. (hina) ha 062047 MET oct 97