CRO GOVT REFUTES NEWS OF AMBASSADOR BEKIC'S REPLACEMENT

( Editorial: --> 7503 ) ZAGREB, May 29 (Hina) - The Croatian Government on Friday denied that the Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva Darko Bekic has been replaced. The Government recalls the Foreign Ministry's Thursday statement which said that Bekic was not replaced but "in the framework of the new, regular exchange of ambassadors, on the suggestion of the Foreign Minister and decision of the Republic's President, was assigned to a new responsible diplomatic post". According to allegations in the daily press, Bekic has antagonised certain members of the Government with his recent interviews, in which he criticised political trends in the country which come into conflict with political movements in Europe. Friday's issue of the "Jutarnji List" daily claims that Premier Zlatko Matesa and Deputy Premiers Ljerka Mintas-Hodak and Borislav Skegro "expressly requested" Bekic's replacement. Jutarnji List says that they are justifying their request with Bekic's recent press interview in which he condemned flirtations with Ustashism. A columnist with Rijeka's Novi List, Vukov Colic, in Friday's edition claimed that Bekic has become a victim of "scared technocrats" in the Government, who are "urgently putting on patriotic masks to defend themselves in front of an explosion of foreign and domestic criticisms". The Government Communications Office in a statement released on Friday said that those claims are "untrue, unfounded and hurtful". The Zagreb daily Vjesnik links the rumours of Bekic's replacement with a list of "new Ambassadors' names" which the Foreign Minister Mate Granic has forwarded to President Tudjman. Vjesnik claims that replacement rumours are not only surrounding Bekic but also the Ambassador in Brussels Janko Vranyczany- Dobrinovic and Washington's Miomir Zuzul. Vjesnik quoted Bekic's statement that the replacement is not unusual. Vjesnik also quoted information that Bekic is going to Portugal; and statements of the other two mentioned ambassadors that they are staying in their posts. (hina) jn bag 291802 MET may 98