CROATIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES FOREIGN AMBASSADORS

BRIJUNI, Aug 14 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman received on Saturday evening Papal Nuncio Msgr. Giulio Einaudi and ambassadors of Germany, Britain, France, Russia, U.S.A. and China, Horst Weisel, Gavin Hewitt, Georges Marie Chenu, Leonid Kerestedyanc, Peter Galbraith and Xie Xian respectively, who are staying on the island of Brijuni at his invitation, the President's office stated last night. Croatian President expressed his condolences with German Ambassador Weisel and other ambassadors of the NATO member states because of the death of NATO Secretary-General Manfred Woerner. Addressing Nuncio Einaudi President Tudjman said that he was looking forward to forthcoming visit of Pope John Paul II to the Republic of Croatia, and stressed that Croatia attached great importance to the Pope's visit, especially at this moment when solutionseeking process to the crisis in the region of former Yugoslavia was being pursued so that the problem be resolved in a peaceful way. The talks between President Tudjman and his guests centered on the current situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the occupied areas of Croatia. In this context Croatian President noted the problem that is to be resolved by efforts of the five-nation Contact Group for Bosnia-Herzegovina in connection with the adoption of a resolution on Serbia. He reiterated the request of Croatia that the issue of sanctions imposed on Serbia should be strictly connected not only with a solution to the Bosnian crisis but also with reintegration of the Croatian occupied areas. The Brijuni talks also concentrated on the extension of U.N. Protection Force (UNPROFOR) mandate. As regards this question President Tudjman reiterated Croatian stances. He emphasized that Croatia cannot allow that UNPROFOR carry out further its mandate in the present manner without making a significant improvement in the performing its basic tasks defined in the U.N. Security Council resolutions. This referred especially to the control of Croatia's borders with Bosnia-Herzegovina and with Serbia and to the return of displaced persons to their homes which could trigger off the entire process of reintegrating the occupied areas into the legal and constitutional system of the Republic of Croatia. Expressing views of their countries foreign ambassadors showed their support to the territorial integrity of the Republic of Croatia. They pointed out that their governments backed the systematic and consistent implementation of all U.N.S.C. relevant resolutions. The ambassadors proposed ways for the reintegration of Croatia's occupied areas into its legal and constitutional system. (hina) mm 141052 MET aug 94