TUDJMAN HEADS CROATIAN DELEGATION TO COUNCIL OF EUROPE SUMMIT

ZAGREB, Oct 9 (Hina) - A Croatian delegation led by President Franjo Tudjman will attend a two-day summit of the Council of Europe due to begin in Strasbourg on Friday. The summit is expected to adopt a final statement and an action plan focusing on the development of pluralist democracy and human rights, social issues, security, and education and culture. Discussed among other issues will be proposals for establishing a permanent European human rights court, strengthening the efficiency of the Council of Europe in resolving social issues, and tougher actions against corruption, organised crime and terrorism. The Croatian president will use the summit for bilateral meetings with top officials from several European countries and the Council of Europe. The summit will bring together heads of state and government of the Council of Europe's 40 member states as well as leaders of countries with special guest status -- Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia- Herzegovina and Georgia -- and heads of countries with observer status -- Canada, Japan, the United States and the Holy See. Also present will be representatives of the European Union and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Only one European country has no relations with this oldest political organisation in Europe -- the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, comprising Serbia and Montenegro, while Belarus, which had special guest status, was suspended early this year over human rights violations in that country. (hina) vm jn 091204 MET oct 97