NORWAY'S AMBASSADOR DELIVERS CREDENTIALS TO PRESIDENT TUDJMAN

ZAGREB, Jan 15 (Hina) - Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway, Knut Morkved, on Wednesday delivered credentials to Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, as the first Norwegian Ambassador with the seat in Zagreb. At the reception President Tudjman said Croatia had managed to establish a stable democratic order and it wanted to enter the community of western European countries but it did not want to assent to joining into southeastern European integration. "We do not forget that we are a country that borders with the area with which we had been tied in an unhappy marriage since 1918. We are ready for normalization of relations with all of those countries, for good neighbouring relations because of peace and the arranged international order. But we would like to share the destiny of other nations of central and western Europe," President Tudjman said. The Norwegian Ambassador said that exactly five years ago his country along with other EU countries decided to recognize Croatia. Croatia had suffered personal losses and economic problems, but by reaching firm peace agreement we were assured that the democratic process would be now completely carried out by support of the Croatian people, Ambassador Morkved said. He voiced his belief that relations between Croatia and Norway might be promoted in economic, political and cultural fields. He conveyed best regards of Norwegian King Harald V to President Tudjman. Present at the meeting were Croatian President's chief of staff, Hrvoje Sarinic, Foreign Minister Mate Granic and President's foreign police advisor Zeljko Matic. The Norwegian Ambassador laid a wreath at the Altar of Homeland. (hina) jn mš 151554 MET jan 97