CROATIAN OFFICIALS TALK WITH RUSSIAN DIPLOMAT

ZAGREB, Feb 3 (Hina) - An assistant to Croatian Foreign Minister, Hido Biscevic, on Monday received Russian Foreign Minister's special envoy for former Yugoslavia, Alexander Georgievich Aksenyenok, the Croatian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. They exchanged views on most important issues of the implementation of a peace process in this part of Europe. The talks revolved around the importance of the UN Security Council's presidential statement which welcomed a letter of intent from the Croatian Government. The Croatian official and the Russian diplomat agreed that progress in peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danubian area and a high level of cooperation between Croatian authorities and the Transitional Administrator Jacques Klein facilitated successful preparations for elections and the return of displaced persons, and that also provided local Serb population with guarantees for their security. This will have positive impact on the entire peace process, according to the statement. They described the cooperation between the Republic of Croatia and the Russian Federation as considerable contribution to such developments and the entire implementation of the peace process. The Russian Ambassador confirmed that his country supported activities of General Klein so as to ensure conditions for the holding of elections in the envisaged time frame. The Russian Federation stressed the need for continuous confidence building and for maximum political realism of local Serb leadership. The Russian diplomat held talks with Croatia's permanent representative to the United Nations, Ivan Simonovic, and Foreign Minister's cabinet chief, Zoran Bosnjak. They discussed Croatia's views on different initiatives for strengthening stability and cooperation in the region. (hina) jn mš 031632 MET feb 97