SIMONOVIC: ANNAN'S REPORT POSITIVE, DESPITE SOME OBJECTIONS

WASHINGTON, 7 Oct (Hina) - The Croatian Ambassador to the U.N., Ivan Simonovic, on Tuesday stated that a report submitted by the U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan on the U.N. Transitional Administration in Eastern Slavonia (UNTAES) was positive. The report contained a request for the Croatian authorities to fulfil their obligations completely but it also showed the wish of the Secretary General for the UNTAES mandate to be completed within the planned deadline, by 15 January, as joint success of the Republic of Croatia and the U.N., Simonovic said. In his statement, issued following the U.N. Secretary General's report, Simonovic said that Croatia was determined to see the U.N. mandate completed by 15 January. Croatia was dissatisfied with Mr Annan's proposal on a temporary delay of transfer of the remaining administrative powers until his next report, Simonovic said, adding that some of the estimations in the report seemed 'exaggerated', including Annan's objection to the lack of a program of national reconciliation. The Croatian Government had submitted a program on the strengthening of trust to the Security Council on Friday, Simonovic said, adding that the program on the re-establishment of trust 'in many ways represents the major achievement of reintegration'. The program added a considerable human element to previous legal and administrative elements of the process, he said. Time is an important factor in any process of reconciliation, Simonovic said, adding that the adoption of the program 'is another difficult move of the Croatian government, but one looking towards the future'. The adoption of the program shows the commitment of the Government to integrate all persons who had earlier been associated with occupation forces and who now have accepted all rights and obligations as Croatian citizens. The report of the U.N. Secretary General means 'more than looking for a compromise', considering the fact that some of the U.N. member states have been lobbying for an extension of the UNTAES mandate or the beginning of a new one, said Simonovic. Namely, the report clearly defines the conditions under which the mandate is to end, on 15 January, with full support of the U.N. Secretariat, which enables Croatia to achieve the aim by fulfilling the conditions presented in the report, not through a conflict with the U.N. and international community, but as a successful result of joint endeavours and cooperation. Making additional efforts by 8 December, as requested by the U.N. Secretary General, represented a good investment which would enable Croatia to fully enjoy the results of its sacrifices, Simonovic said. (hina) jn rm 071446 MET oct 97