PRESIDENT TUDJMAN MEETS OUTGOING DUTCH AMBASSADOR - STATEMENT

ZAGREB, Apr 17 (Hina) - Croatian President Frano Tudjman today received the outcoming Budapest-based Dutch Ambassador Hans Sondaal, the President's office said in a statement. Following is the full text of the statement: "President Tudjman said he was personally involved in developing greater trust between Croatia and small and medium-sized European countries. Europe should realise that Croatia was not guilty of the disintegration of Yugoslavia or the ensuing bloodshed; the underlying reason for the disintegration of Yugoslavia was the fact that historical, cutural and civilisational differences were too big to overcome. From a geopolitical and civilisational viewpoint, Croatia belonged to central Europe and wanted to forge closer ties with central-European states. Croatia favoured the normalisation of relations with other countries emerging from former Yugoslavia, but resolutely rejected any ideas of forming some Balkan, South-European or similar associations, where Croatia did not belong. The Republic of Croatia was determined to implement the Washington and Dayton Agreements, inject life into the Bosnian Federation and forge close ties with the Federation. Ambassador Sondaal said his two-year stay in Croatia had helped him realise that pro-European currents were getting stronger. Also, a significant improvement was noticeable in bilateral relations. Netherlands would soon send a third business delegation to Croatia, and the Foreign Mininister was scheduled to visit Croatia in late April. The fact that the new ambassador would be based in Zagreb was a proof that Croatian-Dutch relations were deepening. Also present were the President's advisor Ivo Sanader and aassistant foreign policy advisor Dubravka Pleic-Markovic." (hina) mm as 171304 MET apr 96