U.S. CALLS ON CROATIA TO ENSURE UNOBSTRUCTED WORK TO SOROS

( Editorial: --> 3758 ) WASHINGTON, Nov 26 (Hina)- The US State Department called on Croatia on Tuesday to ensure unobstructed work to the Soros Foundation, expressing concern about pressure on non-governmental organisations in Croatia. We call on the Croatian government to resolve the situation with the Soros Foundation in such a way as to allow the foundation to continue operating in Croatia, State Department spokesman Jim Foley said in Washington. We find unacceptable the public defamation in Croatia of George Soros and the Soros Foundation, which we believe is making a valuable contribution throughout Central and Eastern Europe, including Croatia, to free speech and democratisation, he added. Foley said that the US administration expected the Croatian government to adhere strictly to the highest standards of law in the proceedings against the Soros Foundation. We remain concerned about the Croatian government's discussion of draft legal measures and selective application of existing legal measures, including criminal prosecutions and taxation policies, to intimidate prominent opposition journalists and non- governmental organisations, he said. The Washington Post said in its Monday editorial that the legal proceedings against several staff members of the Soros Foundation was an evident political accusation of falsifying official records. The paper accused the Croatian president of non-compliance with the final document from Helsinki and other international agreements Croatia had signed. It placed the trial of the foundation employees and a demand for re- registration of the foundation in the context of evident official efforts either to control or to finish foreign and domestic foundations, foreign business branches and other non-governmental organisations. (hina) vm 261037 MET nov 97