SESSION OF PRESIDENTIAL COUNCIL OF DEFENCE AND NATIONAL SECURITY

ZAGREB, Apr 6 (Hina) - A session of the Presidential Council of Defence and National Security was held today under the chairmanship of Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, said a statement by President's Office. The Council discussed the political and economic situation in the country after signing of the Washington agreement and necessary steps and concrete measures that should be undertaken in connection with the agreement. Following the reports submitted by Deputy Prime and Foreign Minister Mate Granic, Defence Minister Gojko Susak, Finance Minister Zoran Jasic and reports by Croatian Ambassadors, the Council estimated that Croatia occupied the most advantageous position in the international community so far. It is obvious that representatives of the world's policy and media significantly changed their policy towards Croatia. Croatia cooperates and forms a partnership at all levels with the United States nowadays, and it has friendly relations with countries of the European Union and China. The Republic of Croatia strengthened relations with Islamic countries after signing of the agreement on the B-H Federation, i.e. confederation between Croatia and B-H. Such a good international position shows that Croatian interests and interests of main international factors became identical and that the world needs stable and democratic Croatia which is today a part of the Central Europe and Mediterranean. All that, together with a success of the Govt. anti-inflation program, led to Croatia's readiness to join international financial and economic activities. A realization of credit allocation is in course, and international financial circles said that they would help in reconstruction and development of Croatia and Bosnia- Herzegovina. The Council charged Govt. bodies to consider the establishment of a special co-ordination body for an implementation of concrete programs and co-operation with international finance institutions. The Council discussed the future development of relations with B-H in connection with the Washington agreement and it estimated that the implementation of the agreement proceeded favourably. The Council said that Croatian representatives in B-H should immediately join all state, political, economic and finance structures, as well as cultural institutions in B-H. The Council expressed satisfaction with results achieved after signing the ceasefire agreement with the local Serbs. The Council estimated that the local Serbs were ready to negotiate and to normalize the relations with Croatia. All provisions of the ceasefire agreement should be consistently implemented, because the normalization of the Croatian-Serbian relations is in the interest of the international community and the Republic of Croatia. This agreement created conditions for an immediate return of refugees, opening of all roads to traffic and putting into operation the oil pipeline in the Republic of Croatia, said the statement. 062120 MET apr 94