PRESIDENT TUDJMAN RECEIVES PARTICIPANTS IN BLEIBURG CONFERENCE

ZAGREB, May 12 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman last night received participants in a scientific conference "Bleiburg 1945-1995," which opened on Friday in the Parliament building, the President's office said in a statement. The conference is taking place ahead of Sunday's commemoration of the anniversary of the killing of soldiers and civilians on Bleiburg Field, Austria, on May 15, 1945, six days after the end of World War II. The conference was represented by Count Nikolai Tolstoy, Michael Palaich, W.D. Conollis, John Corsellis, Vice Vukojević, Ante Beljo, Dušan Bilandžić, Mate Šimunić, Goran Ante Blažeković, Milan Zajec, Josip Jurčević, Zdravko Dizdar and Stipo Slipac. President Tudjman stressed the importance of directing scientific efforts at building a credible historiography in democratic and sovereign Croatia. The true historical facts about the role of Croats in the struggle against fascism had been suppressed and distorted for decades. The world public should be made aware of the fact that the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) was established within the framework of Hitler's "new European order" and was responsible for the crimes committed under Hitler's auspices, but that Croatia also had a very developed anti-fascist movement, which was stronger than similar movements in other former Yugoslav republics, and maybe the strongest in Europe, President Tudjman said. Present were Parliament Speaker Nedjeljko Mihanovic and other officials, the statement said. (hina) as 131103 MET may 95