CROATIAN PRESIDENT PRESENTS AMBASSADORS WITH MEDALS - STATEMENT

ZAGREB, Feb 27 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Tuesday presented 14 Croatian ambassadors with "Order of Prince Branimir" deocrations and "Memorial Medals", with which he had decorated them on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of Croatian Statehood Day, the Presidential Office said in a statement. The decorations were presented to Ivan Brnelic, Onesin Cvitan, Ivan Ilic, Zoran Jasic, Vesna Girardi-Jurkic, Ivo Livljanic, Zvonimir Markovic, Osman Muftic, Milan Ramljak, Davorin Rudolf, Zdenko Skrabalo, Aleksandar Solc, Djuro Vidmarovic and Miljenko Zagar. The President praised the ambassadors for their contribution to the building of the democratic and independent Republic of Croatia and the strengthening of its international position, which resulted in Croatia as an irreplaceable factor in international politics. Congratulating the ambassadors, the President expressed hope that they would continue to perform their duties in the honour and pride of the country. Speaking on behalf of the decorated ambassadors, Milan Ramljak said that they represented the first generation of Croatian diplomats who had begun their diplomatic career in one of the most difficult periods of Croatian history. The ceremony was also attended by Presidential Chief of Staff Ivo Sanader, Foreign Minister Mate Granic, Presidential Foreign Policy Adviser Zeljko Matic, Deputy Presidential Chief of Sfaff Vesna Skare-Ozbolt, Assitant Foreign Minister Hido Biscevic and the Head of the Department for Decorations, Staff Brigadier Stjepan Adanic, the statement concluded. (hina) vm jn 271821 MET feb 96