ALBRAIGHT CONFIDENT IN PROGRESS OF REINTEGRATION PROCESS IN CROATI

CROATI $ A ZAGREB, March 21 (Hina) - The US ambassador to the United Nations, Madeleine Albright, expressed confidence in the progress of the process of peaceful reintegration of the occupied Croatian areas after her visit to Eastern Slavonia on Thursday. Albright said she believed that local Serb leaders were willing to carry on with the implementation of the Erdut peace agreement. "I've made very clear to them that the United States expects them to live up to their obligations," Albright said after meeting Croatian President Franjo Tudjman in the Presidential Palace in Zagreb. Albright said she was very satisfied with her talks with Tudjman and Foreign Minister Mate Granic. "I have a very good relationship with President Tudjman. We have discussed a wide range of things and I think we understand each other very well," she said. Albright stressed that the implementation of the peace agreement was important not only for Croatia but for the whole region. She informed reporters about results of her talks with the commanders of the UN Transitional Administration in Eastern Slavonia (UNTAES), Generals Schoups and Klein. "I hope that the whole UNTAES process is working well, that it is coming into full strength and that it goes exactly in the direction it must go to fulfil its mandate," she added. Granic said that "President Tudjman has stressed the importance of a speedy demilitarization of the area and of fulfilling all provisions of the Erdut agreement." "President Tudjman has reiterated our firm commitment to strengthening the (Bosnian Croat-Moslem) Federation and linking it firmly with the Republic of Croatia, (...) and to European integrations," he added. "The President has also confirmed our firm commitment to cooperation with the Hague tribunal," Granic said. Albright was scheduled to visit Tuzla and Sarajevo on Friday and the Macedonian capital Skopje on Saturday. (hina) vm 212230 MET mar 96