CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVES BELGIAN ENVOY FOR DANUBIAN AREA

( Editorial: --> 7179 ) ZAGREB, Oct 31 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic on Friday received the outgoing Belgian Prime Minister's special envoy for the Croatian Danube river region, Tiety de Grubbben, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Granic pointed out all the steps Croatia was taking in order for the UNTAES mandate to be completed successfully and timely on 15 January next year, and be followed by an OSCE observers' mission. The successful end of the UNTAES mission would be the joint success of Croatia, UN and all countries of the international community which were participating in this process, Granic said. He thanked the Belgian government for participating in and providing support to this primary goal of Croatia, for the work of the Belgian UNTAES battalion and for the effective help in the reconstruction of the Croatian Danubian area. De Grubben expressed satisfaction with the course of the peaceful reintegration process, applauding every recent move by the Croatian President and the Croatian government in that direction. Cooperation with all bodies of the Croatian state had been very successful, Grubben stressed, expressing conviction that Croatia would soon become part of Euro-Atlantic associations, in which it could count on the support of the Belgian government, the statement said. (hina) lm 311204 MET oct 97