PRESIDENT TUDJMAN'S LETTER TO KENT SCHINER

ZAGREB, Feb 17 (Hina) - Croatian President Dr. Franjo Tudjman sent the letter to Kent Schiner, President of the largest Jewish organization in the world B'nai B'rith. President Tudjman's letter was delivered to Mr. Schiner by minister-adviser of Croatian Embassy in Washington Kresimir Cosic on February 14. The letter says: "Dear Mr. Schiner, In the early eighties, I wrote a broad treatise on the history of evil and violence, which I entitled Wastelands of Historical Reality. At that time, I was not allowed to publish any of my writings, as I had been a political prisoner and critic of the government. It was only when the former Yugoslavia began to disintegrate, Communist society collapsed, new democracies were established, and the republics became independent, that I was able to publish it, this time as the President of the first internationally recognized Republic of Croatia. Wastelands of Historical Reality has, since its publication in 1989, evoked strong and unfortunately negative reactions from some Jewish people around the world. This reaction has affected me deeply and has caused me to re-examine my statements and to re- evaluate those parts of the book in Which I cited documents and personal views of some writer or participant. Since the publication of Wastelands of Historical Reality approximately four years ago, I have had the opportunity, or better yet, I have actively sought to become more intimately informed about and involved in the Croatian and world Jewish community so that I might gain a broader and better perspective on its needs, its culture and history, its hopes and fears. This sustained contact has led to a different perspective on my part from that which I might have had years ago, at a time when I was writing the book as a prosecuted dissident. I admire the Jewish people immensely, and I admire their strength and their struggle, not unlike that of the Croatian nation, for independence and freedom. It is in terms of my evolving relationship with and increased understanding of the Jewish people that I now realize the hurtfulness of certain of the portions of this book and the misunderstanding they have caused. For this I offer an apology, both as the President of a newly independent state which wishes to forge a firm and enduring friendship with the Jewish people, and as a human being who desires to make amends in furtherance of such a friendship. I have decided, therefore, that these controversial portions will be deleted from my book, which is due to be published soon in the English language. This refers in particular to those formulations which I now hold to be inappropriate, either because they exhibited a lack of sensitivity, were based on sources that later proved unreliable, or because their cumulative effect suggested a bias toward the Jewish people which was never my intention. At the same time I will continue, as I have since the assumption of my duties as the President of the Republic of Croatia, to comprehensively address the needs of the Croatian Jewish community and to work toward an ever better understanding between the Jewish communities and the Republic of Croatia. My reason for addressing this letter to B'nai B'rith, the largest Jewish organization in the world, is that its input has been most positive regarding the resolution of this issue and, at the same time, it is in a position to effectively convey this message to world Jewry." 171138 MET feb 94