CROATIA NOT A PUPPET, TUDJMAN SAYS

ZAGREB, Nov 15 (Hina) - President Franjo Tudjman today opened a session of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) central committee at the Zagreb Fair compound. The main item on the agenda is a Government report on ownership transformation and privatisation. "Attempts from the opposition ranks to destabilise the HDZ and Government policy will fail again, as they have failed before," Tudjman said. "Croatia's international position is stable. The world has watched Croatia maintain a firm and stable democratic order, which is hardly the case in other former Socialist countries," he said. Tudjman said Croatia maintained friendly relations with a number of countries, including the US, China, the European Union and many Islamic countries. "But we must not be fooled, the world is what it is, ideas of restoring Yugoslavia in another form still loom." Commenting on the Bihac crisis, Tudjman said the world "expected Croatia to use political means to resolve the crisis." "But rest assured we won't be a puppet in anybody's hands," Tudjman sternly declared, hopeful that "strategic interests of the Croatian state and the Croatian people in Bosnia-Herzegovina would be achieved by judicious steps." The session continued, but without reporters. The committee is expected to adopt a Statement on the Government report. (hina) mm as sd 151406 MET nov 94