TUDJMAN'S ADVISOR FORWARDS LETTER TO HELSINKI FEDERATION

( Editorial: --> 5403 ) ZAGREB, Dec 2 (Hina) - The Croatian President's advisor for humanitarian issues, Slobodan Lang, on Tuesday forwarded a letter to the International Helsinki Federation in reaction to an interview the Federation's executive director Aaron Rhodes gave to Feral Tribune weekly of November 24. The interview "represents a serious violation of human rights", Lang said in the letter, also delivered to Hina. He quoted some of Rhodes' statements including those which, Lang said, insulted the Croatian President, and an assessment that "the peaceful reintegration process is almost nonexistent". In his open letter, Lang said that Rhodes "borders on racism" in his assessment "that there are only a few democrats in the Croatian people, but that nobody should feel degraded on account of such assessments, and that he (Rhodes) wants to continue visiting Croatia, for its beauty, hospitality and good food". According to Lang, a huge experience had been gathered in the protection of human rights over the past decade, in critical conditions. (hina) ha mm 021824 MET dec 97