Subject: Western Press Review: EBRD Focuses On Role Of Institutions In Eastern Economies

From: RFE

Date: April 16, 1997

Message-Id: <F.RU.970416144223-gov.world.press-review-aab@ZipNews.com>

_World War II _

The historical legacy of World War II is the topic of other western press commentary today.

NEW YORK TIMES

Croatia is seeing a rebirth of fascism

Syndicated columnist A.M. Rosenthal writes an opinion piece in today's edition [see BACK FROM THE GRAVE] attacking what he says is a "rebirth of fascism" in Croatia.

Rosenthal says: "Hitler had no executioners more willing, no ally more passionate than the fascists of Croatia -- known as the Ustashe."

He says: "They are returning, 50 years later, from what should have been their eternal grave, the defeat of Nazi Germany." Rosenthal notes that Ustashe candidates ran in Croatia's local elections last Sunday.

He also charges that Croatian President Franjo Tudjman "is giving them what they need most: presence, and the rewriting of history." Rosenthal warns that Tudjman is increasingly "recasting the fascists as patriots and founders of the new Croatia."

He recommends cutting western aid to Zagreb to force the end of what he calls "fascist rehabilitation work."

Rosenthal concludes that Franjo Tudjman is a problem that the east must deal with. But he says: "The West cannot evade responsibility for the rebirth of fascism in Croatia. Western recognition of Croatia was pushed hardest (in 1991) by Germany despite warnings from Bosnian Muslims that the timing could set off war" between Serbs, Croats and Muslims in the former Yugoslavia.

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