NOBILO ON UN MEDIATING OPERATIONS

ZAGREB, Jan 5 (Hina) - In the post cold war period, the UN is becoming "a mechanism sanctioning rotten compromises and political pragmatism", Croatian Ambassador to the UN Mario Nobilo today said in the Institute for Development and International Relations in Zagreb. In his lecture on the future of the UN peace-keeping operations, Nobilo stressed the necessity for reforms in UN mediation. The lecture was given only days before a Croatian Parliament deadline for UNPROFOR to fulfill its mandate or leave Croatia. Speaking about roles of the world's two biggest powers, the United States and Russia, Nobilo said that the US was simultaneously pursuing several foreign policies and that influence Russia was wielding was disproportional to its real strength. As for Croatia's foreign policy, it should master the rules of the political game, create alliances and be more active in international organizations. At the same time, Croatia should not be too servile or too arrogant because it could undermine its credibility, Nobilo said. Criticisms that Croatia never needed presence of the UN peace keeping forces were unjustified, Nobilo said. (hina) vr as mv 051827 MET jan 95