CROATIAN PRESIDENT'S CHIEF OF STAFF RECEIVES GERMAN AMBASSADOR

ZAGREB, Dec 13 (Hina) - The Croatian President's Chief of Staff, Hrvoje Sarinic, on Friday received the German Ambassador to Croatia, Volker Haak, in connection with a forthcoming visit by German Chancellor Helmut Khol, the President's Office said in a statement. Haak expressed Germany's support for the successful implementation of the process of peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danube river region, where it was necessary to adequately prepare local elections which would take place in entire Croatia in spring. Sarinic stressed that Croatia guaranteed the Serb minority all rights, but ruled out the possibility of forming a county in the region, for which it had the support of UN Transitional Administrator Jacques Klein. Croatia wanted to maintain good relations with all its neighbours, but resolutely rejected any institutionalized associations, he said. Sarinic recalled a speech by President Franjo Tudjman at last Saturday's session of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) head committee where he had warned about the unacceptability of such initiatives. On that occasion the President said that the simultaneous organization of demonstrations in Belgrade, Sarajevo and Zagreb should have served as a means of pressure on Croatia to agree to the regional approach, Sarinic said. (hina) vm mm 131415 MET dec 96