Iranian Militants in the Balkans

* Re “Terrorist Risk to Americans in Croatia Is Linked to Iran,” May 21:

Your references to Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mate Granic and to Miroslav Tudjman, deputy director of the Office for National Security, are the product of pure speculation.

The Republic of Croatia from the beginning of Serbian aggression was one of the few countries that helped Bosnia-Herzegovina by providing moral, diplomatic and humanitarian support, and by assisting in the coordination of certain activities in the field of defense and security. In this sense Croatia’s efforts were closely linked to the general search for peace led by the United States. Furthermore, Croatia has cooperated fully with the international community in the implementation of the Dayton peace accords. Croatia’s foreign policy objective is to see the full implementation of the accords and have a peaceful, prosperous and stable neighbor.

The Croatian government takes very seriously its obligation to ensure the security of foreign diplomatic missions in Zagreb, and is cooperating closely with the U.S. government, with other European governments, and with the appropriate international organizations, in the struggle to combat all forms of international terrorism. Croatia obviously is intensely concerned with any potential for international terrorism in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the potential for any such attacks within its own territory.

NENAD PORGES

Charge d’affaires ad interim

Embassy of Croatia

Washington

* The Clinton administration’s astonishing mistake to provide a rogue state like Iran with a foothold in the Balkans adds a new item to the long list of foreign policy blunders committed by a succession of U.S. administrations since 1979.

Errors like this, or furnishing weapons to the so-called clique of “moderates” within the Iranian government, have only served to perpetuate the reign of the world’s only theocracy, whose report card is replete with acts of terrorism and assassinations directed at U.S. citizens and the defenseless people of Iran.

Compared with what the U.S. has done to check the excesses of tyrannical regimes like those in Libya and Iraq, America has virtually taken no effective punitive action against the unbridled lunacies and savageries of the Iranian clergy in the international theater. I am unable to understand the reason behind our reticence and inaction.

RAY MOFFET

Beverly Hills