STATEMENT BY US AMBASSADOR ON HIS TALKS WITH PRESIDENT TUDJMAN

ZAGREB, Dec 8 (Hina) - US Ambassador Peter Galbraith this evening described his talks with Croatian President Dr. Franjo Tudjman today as a continuation of recent President's Tudjman talks with US President Clinton in Budapest. Commenting on the Dec 2 Economic Agreement between Croatian Government and Knin Serbs, Clinton said its implementation should be undertaken by the parties. Afterwards the third stage of negotiations, i.e. the search for a political solution, would be approached, Galbraith said to Croatian Television. He declined to comment on the Russian delegation's conduct at the Conference on Security on Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) Budapest Summit in spelling out the formulation about the reintegration of UN Protected Areas of Croatia into the Croatian constitutional and legal system. He recalled that the 'Z-4' process had been initiated by the Russian side, and the first stage of the process, the March 29 Cease-Fire, had been reached in Russia's Embassy in Zagreb. The Russian side reiterated several times its support to independence and territorial integrity of Croatia, US Ambassador said adding that Russian diplomats made it clear to the Serb side as well. The political solution should be sought within the scope of the Croatian constitutional and legal system. USA and Russia were closely cooperating on this issue, he said. (hina) mar mms rv 082051 MET dec 94