CROATIA'S DEFENCE AND NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL HOLDS SESSION

ZAGREB, Dec 17 (Hina) - Croatia's Defence and National Security Council convened on Tuesday under the chairmanship of President Franjo Tudjman to discuss current political issues, the President's Office said in a statement. Considering the domestic and foreign circumstances, the Council assessed that despite good and developed official relations with the United States and the European Union, pressure continued from the ranks of those who had favoured preserving Yugoslavia at all costs and who had opposed the creation of an independent Croatian state. After the failure of this policy, today's circumstances are conditioned by plans to return Croatia to the Balkans or to the region of Southeastern Europe. The latest events, such as the publication of the official document on the EU's regional approach and frequent attacks in some domestic and foreign media, confirm that the pressure is increasing. The President has drawn attention to those events in his recent speech. For example, part of the domestic and international public ascribe to the President that he spoke of political enemies, while actually he spoke of political rivals. The aim of this was to portray Croatia as an intolerant and undemocratic country and to put it on the same level as Serbia in order to weaken it and force it into regional integration processes. The Croatian and international public should be acquainted with the fact that, according to some foreign scenarios, public demonstrations should have happened first in Zagreb and then, simultaneously, in Belgrade and Sarajevo. For that purpose, reporters of some foreign news agencies had booked seats several days in advance to watch the events in Zagreb. Croatia, as a democratic state with a stable democratic system, will continue its constructive policy with the aim of creating a new international order. However, the Croatian government and eight million Croats at home and abroad cannot and will not give in to the pressure and allow themselves to be drawn into the Balkan or southeastern region. Considering the process of peaceful reintegration of the Danube river region of eastern Croatia, the government will take all necessary steps to ensure the successful and timely conduct of elections in the region simultaneously with local elections in the entire country. During a discussion on economic relations with foreign countries, it was determined that progress had been made in negotiations with big US companies for the construction of thermal power plants - ENRON, ENSERCH and PARSON. Letters of intent have already been signed with some of them, while for one project the American side should ensure sufficient amounts of gas for thermal power stations. The finalization of these negotiations and the signing of agreements, which are worth more than a billion dollars, are expected in the next two months. Also under negotiation is US investment in the construction of a water purification plant. Negotiations are in progress with the US company "Bechtel" on the construction of the Bregana-Zagreb- Sisak section of a future Zagreb-Split highway via the northwestern Bosnian town of Bihac. Regarding a decision by Croatia Airlines to buy Airbus planes, noting the fact that in purchasing military aircraft technology Croatia has been oriented towards the American market, the Council said that in making this decision the company took into account its business interests. Croatia is situated at the economic centre of Europe and Airbus's offer opens better opportunities for entering the economic system of Europe, the statement concluded. (hina) vm mm 171821 MET dec 96