PRESIDENT'S CHIEF OF STAFF RECEIVES DOMESTIC, FOREIGN SCIENTISTS

SCIENTISTS $ SANADER, May 21 (Hina) - The Croatian President's Chief of Staff, Ivo Sanader, on Tuesday received distinguished domestic and foreign scientists who are pariticipating in a three-day international symposium, "Southeast Europe in the Twentieth Century," in Dubrovnik, the President's Office said in a statement. Sanader acquainted the guests with basic guidelines of Croatian state policy: the peaceful reintegration of the Danube River area of eastern Croatia, full support to the Washington and Dayton accords and the entry of Croatia as a Central European and Mediterranean country into European integration processes and Western military and security systems. Sanader drew particular attention to the first results of Croatia's commitment to the peaceful reintegration of the Danube River area into Croatia, stressing today's beginning of the process of demilitarization and opening of roads and telephone service. Sanader also informed the scientists about economic successes, noting that for the third consecutive year Croatia had the lowest rate of inflation of all Central and Eastern European countries. He stressed extraordinary economic prospects for Croatia predicted by the world's leading financial institutions, the statement said. (hina) vm 212147 MET may 96