HEAD OF CRO PRESIDENT'S OFFICE GIVES INTERVIEW ON CRO TV

ZAGREB, 19 Jan (Hina) - Head of the Croatian President's Office Hrvoje Sarinic on Saturday gave an interview on the Croatian TV's evening news. The interviewer pointed out recent initiatives to connect Croatia, in various ways, with countries on the Balkans and to return it back to where it had never belonged civilizationally, in spite of Croatia's strategic interest to join western European countries. Mentioning the recent visits to Zagreb of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State John Kornblum and President Bill Clinton's special envoy Richard Schiffter, the interviewer asked Sarinic if the visits were aimed for Croatia to accept unfavourable integrations. Sarinic said that the meetings, attended by Croatian President Franjo Tudjman too, discussed the American initiative, especially with Schiffter. The initiative was intended as a cooperation and the establishment of normal relations on concrete projects in that part of the world or Europe as well, Sarinic pointed out. He stressed that, bearing in mind all its historical, civilizational and cultural experience, Croatia would never enter any unions, alliances or associations in general but, at the same time, it would never be an obstacle for normal life to go on. Answering the question whether any sanctions could be expected from the international community if Croatia categorically refused such integrations, Sarinic said that Croatia had been under a lot of pressure because it pursued a policy for the interest of Croatia, in such a way as to not cause, but attempt to avoid, problems in this part of the world. Thanks to such policy and stances of the Croatian leadership, and of President Tudjman in particular, Croatia gained a big moral and political credit throughout the world. Today it represented a force without which nothing could be solved, Sarinic said, and added that there would be problems, but Croatia would continue to be an unavoidable factor in this part of the world. Croatia would become part of Europe, Sarinic said, adding that Europe could not do without Croatia, which civilizationally, culturally and historically, had always belonged there. As for how long it would take, the head of the Croatian President's Office said that it depended on the procedures, which were rather long. Reminding that even the admission into the Council of Europe had taken long because Croatia had been under a lot of pressure at that time, Sarinic stressed that today Croatia was before other institutions to enter Europe, including the agreement on cooperation with the European Union, the PHARE programme, etc. Sarinic said that Croatia would enter Europe pursuing its policy, the constant of which was victory, on an economic, military and political level. He also pointed out that Croatia had never been more open to the world as now, and the world had never been more interested in Croatia than today. Sarinic concluded by announcing visits of the highest European and world officials, such as of the presidents of Italy, Poland and France, among others, as well as President Tudjman's visits to Hungary and Greece. (hina) ha 191230 MET jan 97