Z-4 GROUP DISAPPOINTED, DISMAYED AT MARTIC, MILOSEVIC

ZAGREB, Jan 31 (Hina) - Zagreb Four Group officials today held a press conference at Zagreb airport to present their draft agreement for the political resolution of the crisis in Croatia. They expressed disappointment at the rejection of this document by Knin Serb authorities and at Milosevic's refusal to receive them. Representative of the International Conference on Former Yugoslavia, Ambassador Geert Ahrens, said the plan "was based on the principles defined by UN Security Council Resolutions and international conferences, particularly the London Conference and the 2nd chapter of the Carrington Plan Croatia had accepted in January, 1992". Ahrens specified that the draft agreement was based on the following principles: 1. the sovereignty of Croatia on its entire territory within the internationally recognised borders; 2. a status for the Serb community in areas where they were in the majority according to the 1991 census, that ensured they lived their lives as they wished, with full guarantees of their security; 3. an integral market without internal borders; 4. the return of all refugees and displaced persons to their homes. Ahrens emphasised that the general approach and main principles of the plan could not be substantially changed. He noted that the document did not use "ideological language" or words such as "federation" or "state within a state" but concentrated on "specific rules". The plan was not submitted on a "take it or leave it" basis, Ahrens said. He added that the plan was devised as a basis for negotiations and "was subject to change". However, international peace mediators "were behind the document as a whole." The Z-4 Group plan was yesterday presented to President Tudjman, who said that "that paper was okay if it respected the territorial and constitutional sovereignty of Croatia and provided for the return of displaced persons and autonomy for the Serb minority," according to Ahrens. President Tudjman had objections to certain provisions of the plan but agreed that it be a basis for further talks, Ahrens said. He further said that the Group yesterday met local Serb officials Martic, Mikelic and Babic in Knin to present them with the plan. Despite earlier notification that the Group was coming with the plan, Martic and his associates decided to reject the document "until the Security Council provided written assurances that UNPROFOR would stay in the UN Protected Areas after March 31, as a protection and not only as a monitoring force." If they were given such guarantees, the Serbs would not only receive the plan but would also agree to discuss it, Ahrens said. The Group was going to meet Serbian President Milosevic in Belgrade this afternoon, but he refused to receive them, Ahrens said. The Z-4 officials appreciated President Tudjman's attitude to the plan, but expressed regret, disappointment and dismay at local Serbs' rejection of the plan, and Milosevic's refusal even to talk to them. The press conference was also attended by the ambassador of the International Conference on Former Yugoslavia, Alfredo Matacotta Cordella, and the ambassadors of the United States, Russia and France, Peter Galbraith, Leonid Kerestedjiants and Jean- Jacques Gaillarde, the latter representing the European Union. (hina) jn as vm 311437 MET jan 95