BEBIC MEETS RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARY OFFICIALS

ZAGREB, Feb 24 (Hina) - The chairman of the Croatian Parliament Domestic Policy and National Security Committee, Luka Bebic, this morning received two memmbers of the Russian Parliament - the deputy chairman of the National Security and Defence Committee, Alexander Epimahov, and his assistant Vasily Ivanovich Manoylov. The talks focused on Croatia's decision to end the UNPROFOR mandate after it expired on March 31 and possible developments after the decision was implemented, Bebic said. Also discussed was the work of the two committees, cooperation between the two parliaments and the protection of national minorities. Explaining the decision on cancelling the UN mandate, Bebic said that Croatia, burdened with a large number of refugees, could not tolerate any longer the freezing of the status quo. In solving the Serb minority issue, Croatia had passed the Constitutional Law which met the highest standards and it was willing to accept any proposed model for the protection of minorities which had proved efficient, he stressed. Russian parliamentarians expressed full understanding for Croatian views, Bebic said. The meeting was also attended by Russia's ambassador to Croatia, Leonid Kerestedzhiyants. (hina) vm 241123 MET feb 95