CROATIAN AMBASSADOR TO YUGOSLAVIA VISITS KOSOVO

( Editorial: --> 1477 ) PRISTINA, March 22 (Hina) - Croatia's Ambassador to Yugoslavia Zvonimir Markovic completed his three-day visit to Kosovo on Sunday. The purpose of the visit was to see how Croats in four Kosovo villages lived, said Markovic. We considered the possibility of direct help because most of them feel left to their own devices and a number of them are thinking whether to stay or leave, said Markovic. During his visit, Markovic held talks with the Kosovo Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova and a former high political official, Mahmud Bakali, as well as with representatives of the (Albanian) Pristina University Chancellor's office. Markovic also visited the Pristina-based independent daily "Koha Ditore". Asked to comment on the situation in Kosovo, Markovic said that it was critical and that the forthcoming dialogue on Kosovo would be very difficult. (hina) rm 221449 MET mar 98