CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVES U.S. AMBASSADOR

ZAGREB, Feb 27 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic on Thursday received United States Ambassador to Croatia Peter Galbraith at his request, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Galbraith presented US government views regarding the latest events in the southern Bosnian town of Mostar and the Croat-Moslem Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Galbraith relayed his government's estimate that the situation in Mostar was improving and expressed satisfaction with the measures taken by the Croat side and the arrests of a certain number of persons connected with various forms of crime. However, the US government demanded full implementation of the IPTF report and recommendations by the deputy to the international High Representative in charge of implementing civilian aspects of the peace agreement in Bosnia-Herzegovina. In this regard, the US would also exert pressure on the Bosnian Moslems to implement similar measures, Galbraith stressed. Granic recalled that Croatia had demanded from the start that the incident of February 10 be fully clarified and that all those involved be punished, which had been particularly emphasized in talks between Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and Chairman of Bosnia-Herzegovina's Presidency Alija Izetbegovic. Croatia believes that it was not an isolated incident, Granic stressed, adding that the events which happened before and after it should be fully clarified and that people involved in all those events should be punished. As particularly serious crimes and provocations Granic cited bombing attacks on the Franciscan Monastery in Mostar and St Anthony's Church and Monastery in Sarajevo. Croatia fully supports the implementation of the Washington and Dayton accords and will do everything in its power to improve the overall situation in the Bosnian Federation. In this context, Granic asked the US to use its influence with the Bosnian Moslems so that both Moslem and Croat sides would take equal steps to remove all persons obstructing efforts to defuse the situation in Mostar and the process of strengthening the Federation, the statement concluded. (hina) vm 271808 MET feb 97