CROATIA AND SERBIA - ETERNAL ENEMIES OR PARTNERS - VJESNIK

ZAGREB, Jan 30 (Hina) - Today's VJESNIK publishes a commentary by Ivo Jakovljevic under the headline "Croatia and Serbia - eternal enemies or partners." "What will Croatia be Serbia, after the Serbian (unsuccessful) aggression against Croatia, and Serbia to Croatia: an enemy for ever, the first neighbour, a good partner, or, after some time, even the most important ally?" Mr. Jakovljevic wonders. While the Croatian leadership has been asserting for weeks in the country and to the world that Croatia has no reason to enter any kind of 'Euroslavia', Adriatic confederations or similar groups, some in the world have been thinking that the ideal solution of the Balkan crisis would be at least economic linking of former Yugoslav republics (in line with the 1991 Brijuni declaration) or a confederative connection of all Yugoslav regions, the commentator says adding that it should be clearly reiterated that "Croatia has no strategic important interest in being re- joined with any republic of the former Yugoslavia (SFRJ) into a new federation, confederation or a customs and monetary union." According to him, the Croatian strategic interest is in linking within CEFTA or EU. Therefore it is on the Croatian diplomacy to confirm that Croatia is a self-confident, strong, young and prosperous country. At the end Jakovljevic concludes that "Croatia and Serbia: neighbours- yes; partners- why not. In this context, the time has come to fully normalize relations." (hina) jn mms 301432 MET jan 96