STATEMENT BY CROATIAN AMBASSADOR TO UN MARIO NOBILO

WASHINGTON, Feb 15 (Hina) - Croatian Ambassador to the UN, Mario Nobilo, made the following statement in New York today regarding a recent Contact Group Proposal on Recognition and Suspension of Sanctions: "Croatia would welcome the proposal to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) concerning the recognition of Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia and Slovenia by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in exchange for suspension of sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia if the proposal would include the following: "Firstly, the recognition and suspension would have to coincide with strict international control of relevant international borders between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) and other successor states. The international community already has a sufficient mandate in this regard in Security Council resolution 769 (1992). The control in the form of monitoring presently pursued by the International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia (ICFY) on the Bosnia and Herzegovina/Serbia and Montenegro border would not be acceptable to Croatia. Secondly, international border control would have to be complemented by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) confidence-building measures such as a demilitarised zone on both sides of the relevant borders. Thirdly, the mutual recognition would require recognition of all five states as equal successors to the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRJ). The past behaviour of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) does not give credence to a policy based strictly on paper arrangements and commitments. The recent violation of the Bosnia and Herzegovina/Serbia and Montenegro border by Serbian helicopters attests to the need for stricter implementation measures than those presently employed by the ICFY mission. The Contact Group proposal upholds the linkage between the situation in the occupied territories of Croatia and the responsibility of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia therein. Croatia welcomes this linkage that is consistent with the General Assembly Resolution 49/43 and the Security Council resolutions 820 (1990), 871 (1993) and 970 (1995)." 152120 MET feb 95