GRANIC ADDRESSES U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION SESSION IN GENEVA

GENEVA, Feb 27 (Hina) - As far as human rights in Croatia is concerned, if the question is 'how much has been achieved - the answer must be a great deal - if the question is how much remains to be done - the answer is the same, a great deal,' Croatian Foreign Minister, Mate Granic, today told the 51st session of the UN Commission for Human Rights in Geneva. Granic said Croatia, as a new democracy, had been developing under the most difficult conditions. The problems of the process of historical democratic transformation had been compounded by the consequences of the unprovoked and almost four-year-long Serbian aggression. "Despite being exposed to aggression, we have been able to ensure respect for the fundamental freedoms and human rights of every citizen of Croatia, regardless of nationality, sex or religion," Granic said. Croatia was making every effort to improve, and accordingly adjust its legislation. Croatia has become a party to almost all international treaties and instruments regarding human rights and other humanitarian issues and has accepted all the principal documents adopted within the UN, the OSCE and the Council of Europe, he said. Croatia expressed its firm commitment to respect and implement the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and accept the competence of the European Commission of the Human Rights and European Court of the Human Rights. However, "for this we need, first and foremost, a just and lasting peace; we have to establish and ensure the rule of law throughout the country in order to bring about full protection of all human rights or every individual in Croatia," Granic said. He explained that the war of aggression waged by Serbia/Montenegro against Croatia had caused massive atrocities against Croats and other persons of non-Serbian origin: 8,882 people had been killed; 26,118 people had been wounded; 2,820 people were still unaccounted for; 4273 children had lost one parent and 54 had lost both. On top of that about 40 per cent of Croatia's industrial capacity had been totally damaged and 260,000 housing units destroyed. The human rights situation in the occupied territories was appalling and a cause for grave concern, Granic said. The ihabitants of the UNPAs have been exposed to constant harassment, torture, killing and forceful expulsion. Even the Serbian population in these areas is exposed to a true reign of terror, he said. The Republic of Croatia supports the establishment of a permanent international criminal tribunal. Croatian authorities were taking all steps to identify persons who have committed war crimes on the territory of the Republic of Croatia, regardless of their ethnic or national origin. Croatia guarantees to the Serbian ethnic community full resect for all human rights and minority rights, and the establishment of an independent body charged with supervising and monitoring adherence to and respect for such rights. (hina) jn sd 271602 MET feb 95