PRESIDENT TUDJMAN'S AIRPORT PRESS CONFERENCE

ZAGREB, Dec 3 (Hina) - "The visit to Chile and Argentina has proved very successful and fruitful," Croatian President Franjo Tudjman told reporers yesterday evening, upon return from a seven-day South-Smerican tour. "In Chile and Argentina, Croatia has found friends and allies willing to back Croatia's views in the United Nations," President Tudjman said. "We showed our Chilean and Argentinian partners that Croatia, thanks to its geopolitical position, democracy and economic stability, could become a bridge for central and eastern Europe," President Tudjman said. "We expressed our gratitude to Chile and Argentina for receiving numerous Croatian immigrants - but we also showed we were proud that these Croats had made such an important contribution to the development of these countries," President Tudjman said, adding that Presidents Frei and Menem accepted his invitation to visit Croatia. "Argentina is going to take up the chairmanship of the Security Council in January and is ready for close cooperation with Croatia," President Tudjman said. Commenting on Friday's economic agreement with Knin Serbs, President Tudjman said it was the second step in the peaceful reintegration of the occupied areas, in line with UN Security Council resolutions. The third step will be an overall reintegration agreement, he said. "If the Serbs are ready to realise this agreement, it will pave the way for a peaceful political solution and the normalisation of relations with Knin Serbs and Serbia," President Tudjman said. "If they aren't ready (to implement the agreement), Croatia will have the support of the entire international community and will be more free to take the necessary steps to reintegrate the occupied areas into the Croatian legal system," President Tudjman concluded. (hina) as 041116 MET dec 94