CROATIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES OUTGOING ECTF CHIEF

ZAGREB, April 15 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Monday received the outgoing chief of the European Community Task Force for humanitarian aid, Francisco Martinez-Esparza, the President's Office said in a statement. President Tudjman presented General Martinez-Esparza with an Order of Prince Branimir decoration for his efforts in providing aid for displaced people and refugees. Thanking the President for the decoration, General Martinez- Esparza said that he believed that the European Union could be proud of the assistance it had provided so far and that it should continue doing so. During talks following the ceremony, the President said he hoped General Martinez-Esparza would convey his experience to EU headquarters and his country. General Martinez-Esparza said that his experience would be valuable to future EU representatives and that he would assist in curbing all radical options, particularly the possibilities of development of Islamic fundamentalism. The talks were also attended by Presidential Chief of Staff Ivo Sanader, Head of the President's Cabinet Gordan Radin and Assitant Foreign Policy Adviser Dubravka Pleic-Markovic, the statement concluded. (hina) vm 151213 MET apr 96