CROATIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES BRITISH AMBASSADOR

ZAGREB, Sept 12 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Friday received the newly-appointed British Ambassador to Croatia, Colin Andrew Munro, who presented his credentials. Munro said that encouraging steps forward had been taken in the relations between the two countries, particularly in strengthening cultural and educational cooperation, trade, investment and tourism. The United Kingdom welcomed Croatia's desire for closer cooperation with the European Union, Munro said, adding that that would be an important part of his mission during the British chairmanship of the EU in the first half of the next year. Tudjman expressed confidence that the relations between Croatia and Great Britain could develop even more successfully than they had so far. "Croatia was part of Europe and still is part of Europe and its place is in European institutions," Tudjman said. "Therefore I would like to use this opportunity to say that we cannot accept any attempts at returning Croatia to any Balkan frameworks," he added. (hina) vm mm 121611 MET sep 97