CROATIAN PRESIDENT ADDRESSES NATION ON ENDING U.N. MANDATE

ZAGREB, Jan 12 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman this evening addressed the nation regarding the end of the UNPROFOR mandate. The address was carried by Croatian television and radio. Following is the unofficial translation of his address. "Dear Croatians and citizens of Croatia, I am addressing you at an historic moment that - in accordance with my constitutional powers - I have made a decision on terminating the mandate of the peacekeeping force in the Republic of Croatia on March 31 this year, in line with the expiry of the current mandate. Today I sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General, Mr Boutros Boutros-Ghali, informing him of this decision, while chief factors of the international community had earlier been informed through my special envoys. This decision is of crucial significance for the further and swifter resolution of the problem of occupied Croatian areas. Three years ago we agreed to the deployment of UN peacekeeping troops in Croatia in order to end the aggression of the Communist- led Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), Serbia and Montenegro and to stop the further destruction of Croatian towns and prevent even greater human losses. Under such circumstances, our decision to accept the deployment of peacekeepers proved justified. Initially, the arrival of peacekeeping forces undoubtedly produced positive results. Within our defence and political efforts, the end of the full- scale destructive war in Croatia and the withdrawal of the Yugoslav Army, Navy and Air Force from all Croatian areas, were achieved. However, of even greater importance and with far-reaching effects was our acceptance of UN peacekeepers which showed that Croatia supported a peaceful and political solution to the crisis in the former Yugoslavia, through which Croatia obtained international recognition of its independence. UNPROFOR's failure to fulfil its tasks and enable the implementation of the Vance Plan and all Security Council resolutions should be blamed on rebel Serb leaders in occupied areas and even more so on Belgrade leaders who wanted to make them part of a greater Serbia. Such greater-Serbian, anti-Croatian and terrorist elements prevented the disarmament of Serb paramilitary forces, the return of displaced people and the control of Croatian borders. In the shadow of the peacekeeping force they continued the ethnic cleansing of Croatians and all non-Serbs, including brutal killings of defenceless people. Even today they are trying to prevent the peaceful reintegration of occupied areas into Croatia's constitutional and legal system. Taking advantage of UNPROFOR's presence, they are opposing decisions by the UN Security Council and official statements by the most responsible representatives of governments of European and world powers, that the occupied areas are an indisputably constituent part of sovereign Croatia within its internationally recognized borders. These are the reasons why Croatia - under today's different circumstances - has made a decision to end the UNPROFOR mandate. In regards to this decision, I wish to express gratitude on behalf of the Republic of Croatia, to all states which contributed troops to the peacekeeping force in Croatia, to all UNPROFOR members and UN officials who have worked here often under difficult and dangerous conditions. We will keep in our memories all those who, unfortunately, have lost their lives while pursuing the peace mission entrusted by the UN and world humanitarian organizations. Dear citizens of Croatia, Informing you of the cancelling of the UNPROFOR mandate, I wish to emphasize that by doing so, we are in no way departing from our firm goal to return the occupied areas in a peaceful manner, to the overall economic and administrative system of Croatia. Because of this, we will continue our efforts, in direct negotiations and within the efforts of the international community, to normalize Croatian-Serbian relations. This also presupposes the normalization of state relations of Croatia with Serbia and Montenegro, i.e. 'their Yugoslavia', on the basis of mutual recognition, in the interest of creating conditions for a new international order in this part of Europe. I take this opportunity to particularly address all Croatian citizens of Serbian nationality, especially those in occupied areas: On my behalf, and on behalf of all authorities and the public of democratic Croatia, I call on you to join efforts aimed at avoiding further conflicts and seeking a peaceful political solution to the problem of occupied areas and all political, economic, cultural and social issues relative to your ethnic community in Croatia. Democratic Croatia guarantees to you, Serbs in Croatia, all human and ethnic rights in line with the highest standards of international conventions, while the UN and all international factors call on you to respect the constitutional and legal order of the Republic of Croatia, the state you belong to. Dear Croatian and all citizens of Croatia, I am confident that you will wholeheartedly support this decision on ending the UNPROFOR mandate, which I have made in full agreement with the demands of the Croatian Parliament and the unanimous proposal of the Defence and National Security Council, with all responsibility which this decision carries. Our friends in the world, and all responsible international factors, can be certain that Croatia will defend its national and state interests with determination and continue to pursue its constructive peace policy. By putting this decision into effect, we wish to accelerate the return of occupied Croatian territories so that we can fully concentrate our efforts on the economic and cultural development of our country which has long suffered. The achievement of a final peace in Croatia will also encourage a speedier resolution to the crisis in Bosnia-Herzegovina as well as the establishment of peace and a new international order in this part of the world. Democratic Croatia has already become, wants to remain, and will be a lasting factor of peace and stability in the new international order on the ruins of the Yugoslav and Communist system. To ensure such a role of the sovereign Croatian state, it is necessary that the Croatian people continue to demonstrate full political maturity and determination as well as absolute reasonableness and consistency in the implementation of the overall program and all decisions of state policy." (hina) vm sd 122052 MET jan 95