CROAT DEFENCE MINISTER ADDRESSES FINALS OF "SINJSKA ALKA"

SINJ, Aug 8 (Hina) - Stipe Simundza, a 28-year-old vet from Sinj, is this year's winner of the Croatian traditional tournament "Sinjska Alka" which celebrates the 1715 victory over the Ottoman Turks at Sinj (30 km north of the Croatian port of Split). The 279th tournament, in which lance-wielding horsemen dressed in traditional outfits match they skills as they target a metal ring over a track, finished on Sunday night at Sinj. President Franjo Tudjman's special representative, Croatian Defence Minister Gojko Susak, awarded this the winner with Croatian President's gifts. On this occasion Minister Susak said that it was the fourth year the citizens of Sinj had to mark Croatia's important historical event in their town just 15 kilometres far from the aggressors' front lines. However, next year the Sinjska Alka should be held without the threat of enemy's arms targeting at the town, as Croatian Defence Minister promised. He stressed that the Croatian leadership was persist in calling on Belgrade, Pale and Knin to give up from waging the war and to participate in a peaceful solution to the crisis. Minister Susak emphasized that over the last four years the Croatian leadership had showed to the world as well as to the Serb aggressors that Croatia could ensure all rights to national minorities which they might enjoy in a independent and democratic state. The finals of the Sinjska Alka Tournament were attended by the Croatian Parliament's speaker, Nedjeljko Mihanovic, Foreign Minister Mate Granic, ambassadors of the U.S.A, Russia, France, Great Britain, Germany, Sweden, and Belgium to Croatia, as well as representatives of the U.N. Protection Force (UNPROFOR) and UNICEF. There were representatives of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina and its President, Kresimir Zubak, and a delegation of the Croatian Republic of Herceg-Bosna (HR HB) among other guests. (hina) mar mm 081104 MET aug 94