CROATIA APPEALS AGAINS NEW YORK COURT RULING ON SEUS COLLECTION

ZAGREB, Mar 1 (Hina) - Croatia has filed an appeal against the ruling of the Supreme Court of the State of New York that there was not sufficient evidence to prove Croatia's ownership of a collection of antique silverware, said the Croatian state Commission on the Seus Collection. The ownership of the 70 million-dollar collection of 14 pieces of silverware from the Roman period was claimed by Croatia, Hungaria and Lebannon. A few years ago, the Sotheby Auctions Co. offered the collection to Lord Northampton, who bought it in Lebannon, accompanied by falsified documentation. Croatia is contending that the collection was found on Yugoslav army premises in the vicinity of Pula (the region of Istria) and then smuggled out of former Yugoslavia. According to the Seus Commission, the appeal consists of 5640 pages. The Supreme Court of New York is expected to consider Croatia's claim at a regular session in April this year. Hungary has also appealed against the ruling, while Lebannon dropped out of the race. The collection is presently in the possession of Lord Northampton. 011740 MET mar 94