MATESA ORDERS FOREIGN MINISTRY TO DISTRIBUTE MINORITIES DOCUMENT

( Editorial: --> 0638 ) ZAGREB, April 30 (Hina) - With the exception of a few states, the treatment of Croats living in other countries as a national minority falls too short from the way minorities in Croatia are treated, Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa told a Government session Thursday. This year's budget ensures US$3.6 million for programmes for ethnic and national communities or minorities. According to the Premier, these programmes are within the scope of the most democratic principles of the Council of Europe. Matesa bound the Foreign Affairs Ministry to give official documents to ambassadors from the mother-countries of minorities living in Croatia, which would state all that Croatia was doing for the minorities. The documents must also be given to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe, the Premier said. He instructed the Foreign Ministry to notify him on the matter in detail. The Government will ensure US$6.25 million from the state budget to provide free textbooks for more than 200,000 pupils in primary and high schools in Croatia, and for 8,700 primary students from Bosnia-Herzegovina. Today the Government also made the final draft of a bill on changes and amendments to a law on mine-clearing. Between 10 and 15 per cent of Croatian territory is planted with mines, Matesa said. Mine-clearing plans exist for only a few mine fields, as most are unknown as yet. The Premier believes the mine-clearing process could last up to ten years, with costs estimated at US$1.5 billion. This year, US$12.5 million has been allocated for mine-clearing, and it is less than the previous year. (hina) ha jn/mb 301852 MET apr 98