CROATIAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT FORWARDS HOLIDAY MESSAGE TO CITIZENS

CITIZENS $ OF CROATIA ZAGREB, Dec 23 (Hina) - President of the Croatian Parliament Vlatko Pavletic on Monday forwarded a holiday message to the citizens of Croatia. "The past year was plentiful with events and tensions, but, fortunately, it was also a year of calming, a year when weapons finally fell silent. Croatia has been admitted into the Council of Europe and is thus even more obligated to respect democratic standards which will lead it closer to Euro-Atlantic integrations in the years to follow. Pressures and attempts to link Croatia with countries of southeastern Europe through a regional approach will not restrain us on out way towards independence and sovereignty in a perpetual diplomatic struggle for Croatia's interests. Although we have good and mutually useful neighbourly relations with eastern countries, we all the same remain resolutely turned towards the European West to which we have always belonged: with its civilization, religion, culture and politics. Based on that Croatia will solve all remaining problems in 1997, resolute to stand on its eastern borders, and to, within the envisaged time-limit, reintegrate the Croatian Danube river region in its Constitutional and legal system, in a peaceful way and in line with signed agreements," the message said. (hina) lm jn 231242 MET dec 96