RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR'S INTERVIEW WITH CROATIAN TELEVISION

ZAGREB, Feb 7 (Hina) - Russia's Ambassador to Croatia, Leonid Kerestedjiants, yesterday said the Zagreb Four peace plan for Croatia had not been rejected. The Croatian government was still discussing it, and the fact that Knin Serb authorities refused even to look at it did not mean that they rejected it and that they would not return to it later, Kerestedjiants told a late night Croatian television news program. Kerestedjiants described the Z-4 plan as a compromise in search of a common solution. Asked whether the plan implied the division of sovereignty, Keresetedjiants said the plan did not contain definitions such as a federation or confederation. He said he thought the Serb decision to reject the peace plan had been made before Z-4 diplomats came to Knin to present the plan. Asked whether the decision had been made in Belgrade, Kerestedjiants replied affirmatively. In response to interviewer's statement that Croatia accepted the plan as a basis for further negotiations, Kerestedjiants said it did not because, according to statements by Croatian officials, the plan did not offer what had been expected. Kerestedjiants stressed that one of the fundamental issues in the plan was the question of borders. He reiterated his support of Croatia's internationally recognized borders. Kerestedjiants expressed hope Bosnian Serb forces would not get involved in a military conflict should the UN peacekeeping force withdrew and should war option prevail, because this would lead to deterioration of the situation in the entire region. Commenting on his position in the Z-4 group in the light of the Russian military intervention in Chechnya, Kerestedjiants said that as Russian Ambassador he could contribute to efforts aimed at preventing such a tragedy from recurring in Croatia. (hina) vm 071122 MET feb 95