MISERY OF WESTERN POLICY - VECERNJI LIST COMMENT PIECE

ZAGREB, Apr 4 (Hina) - A coment piece by Nenad Ivankovic in today's VECERNJI LIST discusses the opinions in the diplomatic circles on Friday's Security Council Resolution 981 (on the new UN mandate in Croatia). "The only thing the international community cares about now is that the blue helmets stay in former Yugoslavia to preserve the present situation - to prevent an escalation of hostilities and therefore also NATO involvement in a war with the Serbs," Ivankovic says. "The West first renounced the use of force and paid for its cowardice and internecine rivalries by becoming a hostage of the Serb aggression. Finding themselves in queer street, western diplomats are now trying to maintain the status quo by putting pressure on the victims of the Serb aggression," Ivankovic said, denouncing the "misery and weakness of western policy." "One is tempted to think one is living in a loony bin, hearing western ministers repeat over and over again how the Chechnia intervention must be stopped at once - and that 'at once' has been going on for four months," Ivankovic says. "Appeals, words, opportunism or Realpolitik?" the commentator muses. "Europe today is politically weak and without authority as it rarely has been in recent history," he concludes. (hina) mm as 041115 MET apr 95