PRESIDENT TUDJMAN RECEIVES CREDENTIALS OF GREEK AMBASSADOR

ZAGREB, Jan 24 (Hina)- President Franjo Tudjman today received credentials from the first Greek Ambassador to Croatia, Constantin Yerocostopoulos. Yerocostopoulos recalled the historical links between Greece and Croatia adding that a new era in Croatian-Greek relations was beginning. "When Croatia again achieved its independence and regained a place in the family of European nations, where it rightfully belongs, perspectives widened for developing relations between our two countries," the Greek ambassador said. "Greece was the first EU member state to sign an economic agreement with Croatia," he said. President Tudjman said: "We are proud to be able to emphasize that the Croatian people, as one of the oldest European nations, knew how to use and enrich themselves with the Hellenic culture and preserve its features to the present day from Korcula to Brijuni." President Tudjman said the relations with Greece had been promoted favourably since the establishment of the democratic and sovereign Croatia. "The Greek government showed great understanding for the establishment of the independent Croatia and for the necessity to normalize relations in the former Yugoslavia, in this part of southeast Europe and the Balkans," President Tudjman said. "In this respect Croatia attaches great importance to such efforts undertaken by Greece, and we are willing to cooperate in bilateral relations as well as in such mutual interests as creating new prerequisites for a new international order in this part of Europe," President Tudjman added. "These days Croatia has undertaken some steps concerning the termination of the UNPROFOR mandate, but be assured ambassador that these steps are not directed at solving the open issue of occupied Croatian areas by war - they are about speeding up the peaceful solution and in this way the normalization of relations between Croatia and Serbia, which is of interest to Greece and our other neighbours." Also present at today's meeting were: Croatian Foreign Minister, Mate Granic, the President's Office chief-of-staff, Hrvoje Sarinic and an advisor to the President, Branimir Jaksic. (hina) mar sd mms 241535 MET jan 95