CROATIAN PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT FOR CROATIAN TELEVISION

GENEVA, Nov 30 (Hina) - "We have supported the European Union's initiative to find a way out of an impasse the Conference on former Yugoslavia has reached in solving the crisis in the UNPAs in Croatia and the crisis in Bosnia-Herzegovina," said Croatian President Franjo Tudjman in an interview with Croatian Television after a plenary meeting in Geneva late Monday afternoon. "We are willing to accept all proposals on a political settlement in Croatian territories under UN protection. ... We have drawn attention to Croatia's view that sanctions against Serbia and Yugoslavia must be linked, as specified in Security Council resolutions, not only with the settlement of the crisis in Bosnia-Herzegovina but also with the resolution of the problem of Croatian territories protected by the UN peace-keeping force," said the Croatian President. "Even earlier we advocated that free passage of relief aid should be secured, and we welcome today's agreement on securing free passage of humanitarian convoys," said President Tudjman. He went on to say that "it is important to concentrate on a political settlement, because behind humanitarian aid, as could be seen in today's reports, some parties want in fact to continue the war." Speaking of a request that Croatia grant the Bosnian Moslem Republic access to the sea and territory around Neum, the Croatian President stressed that he had expounded Croatia's view that "Croatia can in no way accept cession of its territory as it would mean carving up of the Croatian national territory and state as well as putting its strategic interests in danger." "However, I have reiterated Croatia's willingness to offer the Moslems free trade zones in Ploce and Rijeka," said President Tudjman. President Tudjman noted that it was possible that the Moslems would build a port on the River Neretva. "We are ready to offer a usual solution to such a problem, free trade zones in certain ports, and besides, there is a large number of states not having a direct access to the sea," he stressed. "The Moslem request for access to the sea over Croatian territory, particularly in the light of current Moslem aggression on territory envisaged as part of the Croatian Republic, is obviously out of question," stressed the Croatian President in yesterday's statement for Croatian Television. 301130 MET nov 93