PRESIDENT TUDJMAN'S STATEMENT BEFORE TAKEOFF

ZAGREB, March 15 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman flew to Washington this afternoon. During his visit to the United States, President Tudjman is to to meet US President Bill Clinton and other senior US officials in Washington, and UN Secretary-General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, in New York. "We must finalise the agreement which was arranged in principle with the United States in the European Union in Copenhagen," President Tudjman said before taking off. "We have to specify the tasks the international forces are to perform in Croatia, no longer in the occupied parts of Croatia. There are no longer any UN Protected Areas," President Tudjman said. According to President Tudjman, these international forces were to monitor the borders and supervise UNPROFOR's performance in Bosnia. "These issues also have to be considered within the framework of international law," Tudjman said. President Tudjman is also to attend the ceremony marking the first anniversary of the Washington Accords. "Except for these jubilee occasions, I am going to meet President Clinton and other senior US officials, which is even more important than the New York meetings," President Tudjman said. On this trip, President Tudjman is accompanied by Foreign Minister Mate Granic, Defence Minister Gojko Susak, head of the Croatian Information Service, Miroslav Tudjman, and Ambassador Miomir Zuzul. (hina) jn as 151601 MET mar 95