PRESIDENT OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY VISITS CROATIA

30 March 1999

Press Release
GA/SM/85

PRESIDENT OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY VISITS CROATIA

19990330 On Friday, 26 March, the President of the General Assembly and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, Didier Opertti, paid an official visit to the Croatian President, Franjo Tudjman.

During the visit, the role of the United Nations in the current crisis was discussed. Mr. Opertti and Mr. Tudjman agreed in the need for an effective participation of the Organization in the crisis created by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In this regard, Mr. Opertti suggested the possibility of calling for a conference or encounter within the framework of the United Nations and the countries involved, with the aim of creating a political and diplomatic scenario that would help prevent the expansion of the conflict and reach a peaceful solution to the problem.

Also attending the meeting was the Croatian Vice-President and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mate Granic.

In a separate meeting between the two ministers, apart from discussing the crisis they also dealt with the reform of the United Nations, in particular of the Security Council.

The next visit in the General Assembly President's agenda was a private interview with Pope John Paul II. This was to be followed by discussions with Italian authorities, who will receive Mr. Opertti in his capacity as President of the General Assembly, as well as Chancellor of Uruguay.

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