AUSTRIAN AMBASSADOR DELIVERS CREDENTIALS TO PRESIDENT TUDJMAN

ZAGREB, Jan 15 (Hina) - Austria's Ambassador Rudolf Bogner, on Wednesday delivered credentials to Croatia's President Franjo Tudjman. President Tudjman expressed Croatia's gratitude to Austria for its support to the country at the time of the establishment of the independent Croatia. "I hope that your stay in Zagreb will contribute to further promotion of all relations, and deeper understanding not so much in Austria as in Europe, of Croatia's request to remain within Central Europe. Croatia cannot be reconciled with any idea on the return again to Balkan and southeastern European frameworks," Tudjman said. The newly-appointed Austrian Ambassador in Croatia conveyed Austrian President Thomas Klestil's best regards and wishes to President Tudjman for his health. "After great suffering of the Croatian people in the last eight years, I felt deep pleasure that after those horrible events, Croatia has revived, thanks to your brave leadership, as an independent and sovereign state which determines itself as a Central European and Mediterranean country," Ambassador Bogner said in Croatia at his inaugural speech. Present at the credentials' delivering were Croatian President's chief-of-staff Hrvoje Sarinic, Foreign Minister Mate Granic and the President foreign policy advisor Zeljko Matic. Later Ambassador Bogner laid a wreath at the Altar of Homeland. (hina) jn mš 151514 MET jan 97