A BRIEF LOOK AT CROATIAN PRESS ON MONDAY

ZAGREB, May 21 (Hina) - Zagreb daily VJESNIK on Monday runs a commentary on the meeting between the Croatian Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa and his Russian counterpart Viktor Cernomirdin. Bogoljub Lacmanovic in his commentary piece discusses the development of relations between Croatia and Russia on all levels. In an article headlined "Hadzic Asks for Amnesty for Settled Serbs" the daily writes that local Serb authorities in the occupied Croatian area rejected amnesty by the Croatian Parliament saying that the Act did not relate to all Serbs who now lived in the occupied area. VJESNIK's editor-in-chief Nenad Ivankovic writes a commentary piece on the front page headlined "Why Does the Croatian Flag Bother Kinkel?" on certain moves of the German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel towards Croats and Croatia lately (his objection to the Croatian flag on a bridge in Mostar, the invitation to the opposition coalition to visit Germany, his interview to the Novi List daily which has been running a campaign against the Croatian President in the last two months). Ivankovic expresses his surprise at these moves and describes them as too conspicuous, wondering about Kinkel's motives. Maybe the reason was hurt vanity because of the downfall of the German Administrator of Mostar, maybe Kinkel's weak position in his country and party, Ivankovic presumes. Another Zagreb daily, VECERNJI LIST, runs an article headlined "Higher Customs Rates Protect Peasants" on the front page. In an article headlined "Directly Through to Baranja?" the daily runs a commentary on the agreement on the re-establishment of telephone connections with the occupied area of eastern Slavonia. The Temporary Administrator also asked fro the establishment of telephone connections, but local Serb authorities object, the article says. (hina) lm jn 211117 MET may 96