UNTAES' STAY WOULD DELAY RETURN OF THE DISPLACED - GRANIC

LJUBLJANA, Oct 5 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic on Saturday delivered a speech on Croatia's political priorities and its views on the development of the peace process and answered questions of delegates from different parties and countries at the 25th Congress of the European Organization of Christian-Democratic Parties, which opened in the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana on Friday and will conclude on Sunday with the passing of congress documents on stability, security and prosperity in Europe. Granic is heading a delegation of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). Speaking on the reintegration of the Croatian Danubian area, currently under UN transitional administration, Croatia's foreign minister said that now that Croatia and Yugoslavia normalized their relations "UNTAES' constant presence is no longer necessary." "The extension of UNTAES' mandate could only encourage the postponement of the implementation of the most critical aspect of the mandate and that is the return of 80,000 Croatian and other non-Serb displaced persons to the Danubian area", Granic said. Serbs who want to return to Croatia can request to do so through the Croatian Embassy in Belgrade, Granic said in answer to a question. The Zagreb election crisis would, as he said, be solved either through an agreement among parties, in which case HDZ is ready for a coalition, or by the holding of new elections in the first half of next year. HDZ was ready for a coalition both in Zagreb and on the state level, Granic said and added that this was being negotiated with the Croatian Peasant Party. (hina) ha jn 051501 MET oct 96