PRESS CONFERENCE BY ZAGREB FOUR GROUP - CONTINUATION

ZAGREB, Jan 31 (Hina) - Zagreb Four Group representatives today held a press conference at Zagreb airport to present their plan for resolving the crisis in Croatia. Responding to journalists' questions, US Ambassador Peter Galbraith and Ambassador Geert Ahrens of the Geneva peace conference described the plan as fair and realistic adding that it was in the interests of both the Croatian Government and local Serbs. Russian Ambassador Leonid Kerestediants said the plan was based on UN Security Council resolutions and the international recognition of Croatia's borders. Hinting at Knin Serbs' appetites and expectations, he advised them against getting their hopes too high, because it would be in vain. He was "disappointed and concerned" at Knin's rejection of the plan, but said the "plan is still available to all those who decide they want a peaceful solution." Galbraith, too, quashed Serb hopes of getting their own state and international recognition, saying it was an illusion. Asked what would happen next, Galbraith said responsibility for peace in the region lay with the Knin leaders. "We can clearly ascribe the responsibility as to who refuses to even begin the process of negotiations," Galbraith said, adding that Knin was representing a small number of isolated people. He said peace mediators could do a lot, but that there was little time for negotiation. He stressed the role of Serbian President Milosevic was crucial to the peaceful resolution of the crisis in former Yugoslavia, adding that the lifting of sanctions against Belgrade would depend on the settlement of the crises in Croatia and Bosnia- Herzegovina. It was ironic that the side who refused to even look at the document was the same side that insisted on UNPROFOR staying in Croatia, he said. He said the readiness of the international community to continue to support the UN presence in Croatia depended on progress being made in the peace process. Galbraith believed that the Croatian government would eventually agree to consider extending the UN mandate if such progress was made. It was quite clear, regardless of what the Croatian Government said, that the international community was not prepared to support the deployment of UN troops in Cyprus-style fashion, Galbraith said. Ahrens said that President Tudjman's letter to Boutros-Ghali on ending the UNPROFOR mandate should be read as meaning that Croatia was willing to accept the international supervision of the settlement if an acceptable political resolution was found. Ambassador Matacotta Cordella of the Geneva Conference was disappointed with the Knin Serbs' attitude. He believed that the prospects of refugees returning were even more remote now than before. The situation arising from the Serb rejection was complicated but the Zagreb Group would continue peace efforts as no final deadline had been set for the completion of the peace process, Ahrens concluded. (hina) jn vm as 311628 MET jan 95