CRO AMBASSADOR AT UN SENDS LETTER TO SECURITY COUNCIL CHAIRMAN

( Editorial: --> 9629 ) NEW YORK, Oct 19 (Hina) - Croatia's Permanent Representative at the UN, Ivan Simonovic, on Monday informed the chairman of the UN Security Council about Croatia's views on issues written by the Yugoslav Charge d'Affaires to the UN General Assembly. The issues involved are the return of refugees, displaced and exiled persons, the border between Croatia and FR Yugoslavia on the south Adriatic, the situation in Kosovo, Yugoslavia's relations with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague and succession to the former SFR Yugoslavia. Simonovic stressed in the letter that it was not his intention to enter into a debate about the Yugoslav claims whose veracity can be easily established, but to clarify the "nature of relations between the two States and in this way to cast light upon the remaining issues to be resolved." "The FRY must finally and unequivocally accept the principle of the inviolability of the international borders of the successor states to the dissolved former SFRY," Simonovic stressed regarding the border issue between Croatia and Yugoslavia on the south Adriatic. The FRY has pretensions to Croatian territory on the Prevlaka peninsula, despite the fact that Croatia's borders have been internationally recognised. Yugoslavia, thus, describes the issue of Prevlaka as territorial. In his letter, Simonovic spoke about Prevlaka as the "only remaining significant security question". He reiterated that Croatia will not allow its internationally recognised borders to be brought into question. Croatia maintains that, once Belgrade accepts these principles, the only remaining issues to resolve will be the technical matter of marking the existing international land border and delimiting the border at sea, as well as reaching an agreement on mutual demilitarisation. As regards the programmes of return and reconciliation adopted by the Croatian government, Simonovic said in the letter that their implementation must be regarded as a process which has both high and low points. However, it is a process to which Croatia is committed. "This commitment is reflected in the fact that Croatia represents a rare example of mass return of formerly displaced persons. UNTAES, which has been qualified as the joint success of the United Nations and Croatian as well as the recent timely conclusion of the mandate of the United Nations Police Support Group, demonstrates a continuing trend of positive developments," Simonovic said. He also expressed the "serious concern of Croatia" about the unwillingness of Yugoslav authorities to cooperate with the International Tribunal in The Hague and continue to harbour indictees charged "with the most grievous crimes". Simonovic described the situation in Kosovo as a "threat to peace and security in the wider region", because of which, and because of the humanitarian crisis and the new wave of refugees, Croatia "is rightfully interested in a swift and successful resolution of the crisis in Kosovo". In his letter to the UN Security Council chairman, British Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock, Simonovic reiterated Croatia's stance that the rights and commitments of FRY, as one of five successor states to the former SFRY, must not differ in any form with those of the other four states. (hina) lml jn 191742 MET oct 98