'VJESNIK' COMMENTARY ON A REPORT BY 'DAGENS NYHETER'

ZAGREB, 1 July (Hina) - In today's issue of the Zagreb-based daily 'Vjesnik', the paper's editor-in-chief Nenad Ivankovic writes about a report published recently in a Swedish paper, saying that the chief Hague prosecutor Richard Goldstone is preparing an indictment against the Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and six Croatian army generals. The report was carried by the German news agency DPA and the American CNN tv-network. The scandalously sensationalist piece of writing was denied by Goldstone himself on Friday. Goldstone said that he was neither planning nor preparing such an indictment. The aim, Ivankovic writes, was nevertheless, achieved. More so because the whole shameless fabrication was presented in a form easy to digest by an average European and American 'media consumer' (who is superficial and not informed well). Namely, Tudjman and his generals are allegedly to be prosecuted by The Hague Tribunal because of the 'attack on krajina' and because of the alleged crimes committed in the name of such a 'conquest policy'. "As the 'Swedish connection' sees it (let us only recall Bildt's scandalous statements and insults directed to Croatian authorities and its people during 'Storm'), Croatia did not liberate its territory, but 'attacked krajina', that is, a 'Serb state'". It would be too naive to believe that all this is only a product of a shameless journalistic imagination, ignorance or inability to grasp political, national and other aspects of reality in the region. But, quite specific European circles stand behind those reports: those are the same circles which tried to save Markovic's Yugoslavia, which imposed an arms purchase embargo on the attacked Croatia. Those are the same circles which said the Serb occupying forces were an endangered ethnic minority, and who devised Z-4 Plan (which would install a Serb state in Croatia forever); those who spared no effort to prevent 'Storm', including the application of silent sanctions. Those are the same circles which are now imposing some special requirements on Croatia for its admission to the Council of Europe, and which, in the name of the never-to-be- forgotten Versailles, want to push Croatia into some Yugobalkania, but this time in an even worse version - with Albania instead of Slovenia!. It seems that this media subversion, which did not come accidentally exactly from Sweden and ahead of Mostar elections, is the least an attack on President Tudjman and Croatian generals. It was devised as a political guillotine for the Croatian people, its existence, freedom and its independent state. If such a thing would happen that Croatia's political and military leadership is indicted because of 'Storm', then it would really mean that the Croatian state has been pronounced guilty. That this, despite wishes of the Swedish connection, is not so, is proven by the recent exchange of letters between Presidents Clinton and Tudjman, by its tone and messages, Ivankovic concludes. The report publicized in the Swedish paper 'Dagens Nyheter' (28 June, 1996) was denied by the Hague chief prosecutor, Judge Richard Goldstone. In a statement, issued on 28 June 1996, Goldstone said: "Today, I have been informed of a report in a Swedish newspaper to the effect that an anonymous member of my Office allegedly stated that President Tudjman and Croatian Army Officers would be indicted on war crimes within the following six months. I feel it necessary to state that any suggestion that such a decision has been taken by me is without any truth. I regret that this newspaper chose to report an anonymous source without previous reference to me or anyone authorised to speak on my behalf". (hina) rm 011155 MET jul 96