Dr. Tomislav Sunic lecturesin New York

    New York Council of Conservative Citizens Action Alert 1/15/02

   A LECTURE BY ONE OF EUROPE'S MOST DISTINGUISHED NATIONALIST INTELLECTUALS: 
SEE TOMISLAV SUNIC IN NYC 2/2/03!

    The NY CofCC is proud to present a lecture by Tomislav Sunic who will speak 
on "Third-World Immigration: A Threat to Europe and Lessons for America"

    There will also be a panel discussion with many celebrated nationalist and 
paleo-conservative writers and thinkers.

    Mark your calendars for Sunday, February 2. 2003 at 2:30pm. The event will 
be held on the 10th Floor of the TRS Building 44 E. 32nd St. New York, New 
York. Admission will be $12.00. Refreshments will be served.


Kenneth J. Schmidt
Communications 
Director 

Libya Wins Leadership of Rights Panel Despite U.S. Opposition

By BARRY JAMES, 

International Herald Tribune

PARIS, Jan. 20 - The United Nations Commission on Human Rights, meeting in Geneva, elected Libya to its chairmanship today after the United States demanded and lost a vote.

The United States insisted on a vote, which was the first since the commission was formed in 1946. The chairmanship is usually decided by consensus. It was apparently a move to embarrass Libya's supporters.

But 33 countries voted for Libya. Only three - the United States, Canada and, reports said, Guatemala - voted no. Seventeen countries abstained, including seven members of the European Union. Diplomats said they did not want to offend African nations, whose turn it is under a rotating system to select the new leader.

The vote means Libya will preside over the meeting, from March 17 to April 25, at which the commission will survey the human rights situation around the world.

Libya has been accused of abducting and torturing opponents of its government. It has openly supported violent organizations like the Irish Republican Army, and it is held responsible for the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am jet over Lockerbie, Scotland, in which 270 people died.

The Libyan leader, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, has assiduously courted African nations with cash and political influence. He was a driving force behind the formation of the new African Union, even paying off some of the debts of the old Organization of African Unity, its predecessor.

Libya, still not fully free from United Nations penalties that were imposed because of the Lockerbie bombing, was the only country nominated by the African bloc.

The United States insisted on a vote, the State Department spokesman Richard A. Boucher said, because Libya's "terrible conduct" should not be rewarded.

The United States has just rejoined the commission after losing its seat in 2001 in a secret vote of member countries.

The American ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Kevin Moley, said he was "deeply disappointed" by the outcome. "A country with this record does not merit a leadership role," he said. 

Human rights advocates said the election of a country that has not had a free election since Colonel Qaddafi seized power in 1969 put the credibility of the rights panel at stake.

Earlier, in a statement, Human Rights Watch said Libya's rights record over three decades had been "appalling." Amnesty International also has expressed concern that about 150 opponents of the government who are facing trial in Libya later this month will not receive a fair hearing.

The Libyan representative to the Human Rights Commission, Najat al-Hajjaji, said in a speech after her election that she would rely on the body's collective wisdom and that she would avoid "as far as possible" making decisions on a personal basis.

---------------
Larry Cirignano, Esq.
CatholicVote.org
PO Box 70695
Washington, DC 20024
609-781-0090 cell
202-318-0789 fax
-----------------

Dr. Tomislav Sunic lecturesin New York

    New York Council of Conservative Citizens Action Alert 1/15/02

   A LECTURE BY ONE OF EUROPE'S MOST DISTINGUISHED NATIONALIST INTELLECTUALS: 
SEE TOMISLAV SUNIC IN NYC 2/2/03!

    The NY CofCC is proud to present a lecture by Tomislav Sunic who will speak 
on "Third-World Immigration: A Threat to Europe and Lessons for America"

    There will also be a panel discussion with many celebrated nationalist and 
paleo-conservative writers and thinkers.

    Mark your calendars for Sunday, February 2. 2003 at 2:30pm. The event will 
be held on the 10th Floor of the TRS Building 44 E. 32nd St. New York, New 
York. Admission will be $12.00. Refreshments will be served.


Kenneth J. Schmidt
Communications 
Director 

Destruction caused to Croatia and its population by these same

ICGBrussels@crisisweb.org 
Subject ICG Summary on Croatia

Gentlemen:

Reading your Summary and Recommendations regarding Croatia and the return
of ethnic Serbs, we find the criticism of Croatia totally misplaced. It
is obvious that you are not taking into consideration the enormous
destruction caused to Croatia and its population by these same Serbs
whose return you now champion. 

Take the example of Vukovar, where some 10,000 people have returned,
about half Croats and half Serbs. 
Among the Serbs are persons well-known to the Croatian population there
as having committed war crimes as they "ethnically cleansed" the 63%
non-Serb population, massacring many and looting their homes. These
ethnic Serbs with the help of their paramilitary and the Yugoslav army
destroyed in Vukovar 14,000 dwellings out of 15,000 existing ones of
which only 3,500 houses and 1500 apartments have been rebuilt so far.
Donations from the West were for 1200 dwellings. While - as you recognize
in the Summary, Croatia is economically depressed, it is a fact that it
is financially not even in the position to help many of its own Croatian
refugees, who were the first to suffer ethnic cleansing in their own
country already in 1991. For the ICG to urge Croatia to see to the
rebuilding of Serb homes or evicting of Croatian refugees from them is a
totally unfair requirement at this time. Croatia has received very little
help from the West for the rebuilding of destroyed homes, not only in
Vukovar but in the entire region of Eastern and Western Slavonia and the
so-called Krajina which was occupied by the rebel Serbs, who destroyed
there all Croatian homes, churches and cultural sites. 

Regarding equality, pressured by the West, Croatia is absurdly going so
far as employing some of the former rebels in police departments, while
the local Croatian population is horrified, knowing that some of these
Serbs committed war crimes against them. At the same time, Croatian
policemen are losing their jobs to accommodate the Serbs! We are certain
that you realize that the unemployment rate in Croatia hovers at 23%.
What country after a very recent violent war would be required to give
preference to its former (?) enemy, over its own unemployed population?
Such demands are simply unreasonable. 

Contrary to your Summary on Bosnia-Herzegovina, the return of refugees is
paltry in the so-called Republika Srpska (Bosnian Serb entity, which
should never have been established, as it rewarded massive ethnic
cleansing and killing). Very few Bosnian Croats have ben allowed to
return, and these are constantly harassed. The only larger returns are in
areas of the Federation in which the population has remained either a
Croatian or Muslim majority. Any other concept is a matter of glossing
over the facts by the Office of the High Representative and looking
through rosy glasses. 

The truth is that Croatia is by far the only state in the region that
tries to adhere to the laws regarding the return of refugees but
obviously cannot perform wonders. Neither should the international
community ask for such. Every nation must have the right to first help
its own people, especially since Croats were the first to suffer by the
hundreds of thousands during the war, long before Serbs suffered any
hardships. 

Very truly yours,

Hilda M. Foley
National Federation of Croatian Americans
13272 Orange Knoll
Santa Ana, CA 92705-2258

YOUNG CONCERT ARTISTS SERIESPRESENTS 

NEW YORK DEBUT OF
CROATIAN GUITARIST ROBERT BELINIC

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2003 at 8:00 p.m.
92nd STREET Y


Program:

J.S. BACH (arr. BELINIC): Violin Sonata No. 1, BWV 1001
FERNANDO SOR: Introduction and Variations on "Marlborough S'en Va T'en
Guerre," Op. 28
JOAQUIN RODRIGO: Three Spanish Pieces
ANTE CAGALJ: Zvona sv. Duje; Rodrigo u Zagori
ANTONIO LAURO: Aire de Joropo; El Marabino; Seis por derecho
JORGE MOREL: Danza Brasilera; Bossa in D Major
LUIGI BOCCHERINI: Quintet No. 4 in D Major, G. 448 ("Fandango")
with guest artists Chee-Yun, violinist; Emily Bruskin, violinist; Scott
St. John, violist; Julia Bruskin, cellist

The 92nd Street Y is located at 1395 Lexington Avenue

Tickets: $25 and $15.

To charge tickets by phone, call Young Concert Artists at (212) 307-6656. 
Students and Senior Citizens: Half-price tickets may be purchased on the
day of the performance at the 92nd Street Y Box Office (1395 Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street),
subjectto availability.

About our Guitarist:
ROBERT BELINIC, winner of the 2002 Young Concert Artists International
Auditions in New York, was born in Zagreb and grew up in nearby
Popovaca. As a talented eight-year-old he became known as an actor,
starring in "Tale from Croatia." Mr. Belinic began to study classical
guitar at the age of eleven at the music school in Kutina with Zvonko
Susnjar, and continued his studies with Ante Cagalj in Zagreb. He
currently studies at the Music Conservatory in Augsburg, Germany.
Robert Belinic is the first guitarist to win place on the roster of
Young Concert Artists in the organization's 42-year history. His first
U.S. tour includes debuts in New York, Washington, DC and Boston. 

To all interested Croatians in the New York area!

To all interested Croatians in the New York area!

A few days ago I posted an announcement about Croatian flutist Dive 
Franetovic who will be playing in Carnegie Hall as part of the IBLA 
Foundation's international competition. The ticket prices were very, 
very expensive! Since then I have made some telephone calls and may have 
a solution if we work quickly.

Because Dive is a friend and because I called the IBLA Foundation, they 
sent me a private invitation. On the invitation is a blank for 
donations. I have been told that I can request any number of tickets for 
half price this, for friends and family. I consider any Croatian 
coming to this concert to be a friend!

I will request balcony tickets for $25 (much better!) for as many as 
would like to come. I need to know who would like to attend this concert 
so that I know what to ask for. There are not many balcony seats (maybe 
40) in Weill Auditorium, so I am asking interested people to respond 
quickly.

If I have promises from people that they want to attend this concert to 
cheer Dive on, I will make the "donation" on my credit card. As soon as 
I have the tickets, you can send a check to me and I will send the 
tickets to you. I trust you all !!!

The information again: Dive Franetovic plays on March 3 (a Monday night) 
at Weill Auditorium, which is in Carnegie Hall, at 6:30 p.m. It is her 
first trip to America and you will feel so proud! I feel very lucky to 
have met her and her family!

My email is: lordlord@siu.edu . I will wait until January 30 before doinganything.

Hvala vam, Suzanne Lord

Croatia demands 15 billion euros war damages 

from Yugoslavia 

Op-ed

I am talking about War Reparations for cca 10 years. I startedto do this during the war. Most of the answers were, that this is impossible.Not that it is possible, but it is IMPERATIVE. First estimates seems to be verylow. I am not an expert on the subject, but the common sense would assume atleast quadruple amount.

Nenad Bach

Editor- in-Chief

BANJA LUKA -- Friday – Croatia is demanding 15 billion euros of war damages compensation from Yugoslavia according to first estimates.This is the latest from Croatian President Stjepan Mesic. 
“Croatia was a victim of Yugoslavia’s, that is Serbia’s, aggression and must answer for what happened here”, he said.“First off we need to talk about the damage, how it will be paid, and by when. We must reach inter-state agreements”, said Mesic. 
“It is obvious that we have been the victims…if volunteers were rounded up in Serbia and began attacking and destroying Croatian cities together with the Yugoslav Army, and killing Croatian citizens, then Serbia cannot say that it did not know about it” Mesic said in an interview with the Banja Luka daily Nezavisnenovine. He added that it is logical that the former Serbian President Milan Milutinovic went to The Hague. 
“It is reasonable that he appear before the Tribunal because the crimes in Kosovo were committed during his presidency. It is up to The Hague to determine how responsible is for the crimes committed by his country” he concluded. 

Croatiabeats Russia, 

Germany bags third win at world championships 
Thu Jan 23,12:14 PM ET

LISBON, Portugal - Croatia claimed the scalp of Olympic champion Russia in the preliminary round of the men's handball World Championships, winning their encounter 28-26 Thursday. 
Croatia, Olympic gold medalist in 1996, has a 2-0-1 record in its group at the tournament being played at venues across Portugal through Feb. 2.Russia previously had edged Hungary by one point and drawn with Argentina. 

Germany, the European silver medalist, beat Greenland 34-20 and moved onto a maximum six points from three games in its group. 
Top African team Egypt overcame Slovenia 27-26, while Asian champion Kuwait defeated Morocco 25-22. 
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030123/ap_wo_en_po/eu_spt_handball_worlds_1 

Croatia-neutralState?

Ph. D. Andelko Milardovci
Political Science Research Center, Zagreb

www.cpi.hr      

CROATIA BETWEEN EUROPEAN INTEGRATION, WESTERN BALKAN AND IMPARTIALITY

1. EU INTEGRATION

Since international acknowledgement in 1992 until today, the Croatian foreign policy the object are European integrations. That object has been emphasized and is emphasized by former Government and by new coalition government. Despite that, until recently the Government didn’t manage to achieve inter -party agreement on European integration Strategy, and it was accomplished at the end of 2002 by acclamation of Declaration in Croatian Parliament. Impartially from what may be the best results in Stabilization and association process, comparing with other countries, Croatia didn’t find itself among ten new candidate countries in EU Eastern enlargement process. At Copenhagen Summit Croatia was not traded as a country which could be in enlargement process with Bulgaria and Romania in 2007. 
That prompted Croatian political elite on diplomatic action and acclamation of Declaration and undergoing of application for full membership by March 2003.
The application has domestic and foreign political reasons.
Domestic political reasons are related to forthcoming elections. In a case of acceptance, Government of the Prime-ministerRacan would achieve a great success in foreign policy which could probably have impact on forthcoming elections. But, in a case 
Of subtraction this Government will have to bear consequences and the question of alternative strategy for the future will be opened.
The good side of the application is that it will show a real position of Brussels who will have to give its final answer, either positive or negative. 
Positive answer based on intern consensus, would ask for development of integration strategy with precise dynamic, distribution of tasks, distribution actor roles, budget and cost of integration, benefits of integration for Croatia, losses and obligation by referendum.
In a case of negative answer the government will have to develop the scenario to avoid contra-productive effects of ten to fifteen years by the time Croatia become full EU member.
That time should be used on developing an Alternative or our own concept of impartiality. That concept will be discussed among leading Croatian intellectuals on Seminar "Croatia-neutral State?" which will be held on 23rd January 2003 in Bezanec Castle in HrvatskoZagorje.

2. GEOPOLITICAL SITUATION, IDENTITY AND POLITICAL REALISM

Positive and negative Scenario of Croatian future and her position in the globalized world has to be determinate by her geopolitical situation, which is constant in domestic and foreign politics. It is a permanent fact which has to be taken as dependent in programming and implementation of future scenario.
According to that, it is possible to identify Croatia as a country between Central Europe, Mediterranean and Balkan. Three components identify her geopolitical and cultural identity: Central European, Mediterranean and Balkan component, of which geographically
Balkan has a smallest impact.
Until January 3rd 2000 the emphasis was on first two components but after arrival of coalition Government the priority was given to a Balkan component. Objections to an old Government were that it favored European integration, Central European and Mediterranean identity but it acted totally Balkanian. New Government, on the other side to has emphasized cooperation with Balkans as an integrated part of Stabilization and accession process and the Mediterranean and Central European geopolitical and cultural component where put in a second plan and a priority was given to cooperation with Western Balkan countries (In economy, culture, sport and etc).

In the political language by officials in Brussels Croatia is treated as a part of Western Balkan region. Since 1997 until 2000 in "European herald" magazine Croatia is mentioned as an integrated part Western Balkan region, Yugoslavia minus Slovenia plus Albania. In this region exist interweave between Western (EU and U. S. A.), Russian and Islamic interest. EU foreign politics treats this region as one. The object of Stabilization and association Agreement is implementation of stabilization in the region and association, if it ever became possible. The EU politics does not take into account the results of each individual country. It is occupied with the collective approach. Individual accession model, as it seems, will not be easily accepted. The reasons why Croatia didn’t entered in first enlargement group in Copenhagen are strictly political. The Western Balkans is treated as Europe’s "black hole", the region without established rule of law and with great problems with corruption, organized crime, illegal migrations and trafficking of human beings. It is treated in this way and actually isolated so that it doesn’t undermine EU construction, and in attempt to prevent eventual effects of the "black hole" on her system EU is building a stronger politics towards Balkan countries and barbarians who could undermine the EU principals.
Finally, in all Scenarios of EU Future, either official or of think tanks, Croatia is seen as Western Balkan country. These are some of the examples, Western Balkan and a new European responsibility. Strategic paper presented at special meeting "Club of three and Western Balkans" (Brussels 29 - 30, June 2000); CARDS assistance Program to the Western Balkans – regional strategy paper 2002 – 2006 (European Commission. Forward studies unit. Horizontal issues). Western Balkan in 2004. Assistance, cohesion and new European borders. The paper by independent institute ESI – Berlin was presented to Javier Solana on November 5th 2002 in Brussels. Taken into account, Scenario confirm thesis of political reasons of Croatian exclusion from Copenhagen enlargement process and a collective, instead of individual approach to accession, if ever becomes plausible. 

ESI Scenario anticipate crisis in Western Balkans 2004 caused by reduction of assistance. In a part of Scenario " European Union and the crisis 2004" the Western Balkan countries are hardly taken into account in a view of future EU enlargement, and the evidence of that approach was shown in Copenhagen treatment of the Balkans. It is stressed that: 
ťFrom 2004 to 2006, most countries in the region will receive relatively little EU aid, whatever political or institutional reforms they undertake and irrespective of their progress up the Stabilization and Association ladder. Unless something changes, there will also be little argument for taking the needs of the region seriously in the next programming cycle (2007-13). The Balkans will continue to depend on the development and humanitarian aid budget, and will find itself competing with the countries of the Southern Mediterranean and the Middle East and with new crisis areas as they emerge around the globe.
Without a serious commitment from the European Union, the Western Balkans will find itself increasingly isolated from the developments unfolding all around it, from Slovenia, through Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, and south to Greece. Its capacity to join the European project will only decrease over time. While in the enlarged Europe, the new goals will be economic cohesion, development and labour mobility, in the Balkans the focus will narrow to issues of crime, corruption and border management. If this is Europe's only response to the crisis of 2004, then the most probable future of the Balkans is to remain an island of instability in the heart of Europe, exporting migrants and importing peacekeepers. (ESI, November 2002, p. 20). ť
EU foreign politics has common standards of "Europeanization" of new potential candidate countries and developed regional politics. One of these regional politics is toward Western Balkans. But, either Croatia hasn’t developed clear strategy whose objectives are European integrations neither it comply prerequisite for full membership, partly because it’s own fault and partly because of existing scenarios of EU future. 
The question here is: What can we do in a case they don’t accept our application for full membership and we subtract scenarios which tend to relate Croatia and her own future with a future of Western Balkan? Therefore, alternative scenario must be developed including acclamation of permanent impartiality on Constitutional basics. 

3. IMPARTIALITY

If the application for full membership is going to be subtracted, and if the Government is rejecting a concept which tends to relate Croatia with Western Balkan scenario, an alternative strategy of extrication from the Balkans must be developed. This strategy should necessary include acclamation of impartiality as a concept of self- reinforcing, building institutions based on rule of law, implementation of common European standards and best practice, anti-participation in war conflicts, abstention from NATO membership, and reinforcement of Constitutional statute which forbids any association with former Yugoslavian countries, and promotion of peace by Republic of Croatia. 
In a political history term impartiality had deferent meanings, but always resulting from constellation of power and relations. Since establishment of international relations between the states in 1648 it was interpreted as abstention from conflicts and taking parts in violations, respect of sovereignty and independent foreign politics for example, freedom of choice in leading its own foreign politics. 
The system of impartiality is changing through the centuries, especially after a fall of Berlin wall. With globalization of politics the old concept of impartiality has changed, and gradually is defined in new context of power and relations. 
The right on impartiality, in terms of globalized politics, has to be maintained, as a choice of a freedom. For example: Croatia has never been forced to join EU and NATO, but EU scenario relates it to Western Balkan. Impartiality, hence, means a freedom of choice which defines our own future. Any declared impartiality should be acknowledged by international community, and in that case Croatia should "experience" second international acknowledgment if declare neutrality.
As I said, through the history impartiality was result of constellation of power and relations. Examples are: Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Finland and Ireland. Switzerland is an example of permanent, Constitutional based impartiality. Austria is an example of impartiality created as a result or consequence of 2nd World war. Since 1955 until 1994 Austria experienced total impartiality. That time was used on institutional building and self-reinforcing, and at the end Austria joined EU. Austria is not a NATO member, but is candidate country and is pleading for redefining of impartiality under new conditions. Sweden, Finland and Ireland are all EU members but not NATO members. Therefore, in globalized world there are still some neutral states, and some countries are neither members of EU or NATO. Perfect example is Switzerland.
According to that, if Croatia currently can not become full EU member, and there is no need to enter NATO, as senseless organization, it should declare neutrality related to future conflicts and permanent impartiality. 
"Permanent neutrality is clearly different from neutrality by the fact that permanent neutrality is characteristic of the state as a subject of international law, as defined by Constitution and international Agreement, and opposite, term neutrality is related to war." (Source: Vladimir Ibler, International civil law dictionary, Zagreb, Informator, 1987, p. 319). Raymond Aaron has also written about different types of impartiality in book "Peace and war among the nations" (Zagreb, Golden marketing, 2001, p. 548.)
The idea of freedom of choice and peace are in foundation of impartiality. So if Croatia is going to declare impartiality it won’t be in any relation with isolationism. Impartiality is based on the assumption of freedom of choice to integrate, according to national interests, in those global institutions in which, for example, Switzerland is a member, but is not a member of European Union and NATO. Finally, impartiality exclude isolationism. Croatian concept of impartiality in globalized world, should therefore, be the concept of institutional self reinforcing, comparative with EU standards, based on rule of law so that Croatia in time became a desirable EU partner.
Since the end of bipolar structure of the world and fall of Berlin wall NATO has became an institution occupied with planning its own purpose. In NATO strategy1999 it is stressed that a role of NATO is a protection of North-Atlantic alliance countries. Whom from? Who is a global enemy today? It is also stressed that NATO’s second role is managing the crisis caused by NATO to vindicate its purpose. Beside that, after a Fatherland war, Croatia is not longer willing to participate in wars and wish to declare itself as Republic of peace. Parallel with that Croatian membership in NATO would be senseless since NATO is interested only in the military bases in Mediterranean, as a place for protection of capital interests, interests of foreign companies, and as a source of equipment and goods, and trained soldiers for artillery meat. Croatia should offer military bases and in exchange should receive a expensive equipment, bordels, prostitutes, infectious diseases, drugs, military police and "State within the state", from NATO. The fact is, there is no any country who could pose a threat to Croatia besides NATO, and NATO members for shore will not declare war to Croatia. Slovenia is not a NATO member, Italy, as old member, excludes that idea, and Hungary, after join European Union is not a question. The only threat could pose Serbia. But if Croatia has succeeded to organize army in the early 1990 and defend from Europe’s third military forces at the time, it is not a question whether it could do that in the future with built military organization and well equipped army? Hence, there are no reasons for Croatia to become a NATO member. As a state which proclaims peace, based on impartiality, Croatia should develop politics towards Serbia to prevent threats.
Impartiality includes strong economy institutions and membership in, according to national interests, global economy institutions. Globalization of economy and politics has greatly changed the concept of territorial sovereignty of European Union members. 
In the invitation for Seminar which is going to be held at the end of January 2003 it is stressed: "Today the nature of impartiality has changed especially in accordance with new nature of conflicts and threats in international relations. Strong integration processes and even stronger inter-dependence of the world and states progressively are changing the main principles of neutrality, as for example, the principal of sovereignty and national interests. Neutral states continually are changing their behavior in international relations in accordance with real neutrality, but they stay committed to basic idea which enable them a great freedom for actions".
Globalization, as a main form in integrated the world, does not exclude impartiality, but impartiality needs to be adopted according to conditions in globalized world. Globalization is based on neo-liberalism, the idea of freedom, just as neutrality is based on idea of freedom. Hence, terms globalization and neutrality are not in contradiction if the right of freedom of choice, freedom of individual and society to choose its own future is respected. Our choice is a way towards European Union and if temporary we can’t reach it and we don’t want to be related with Western Balkan impartiality is a way for Croatian politics in globalized world. But we need International community to acknowledge this way and they will if Croatia suggests that option.

Europeans provide ideas for destroyingresilient algae

California joins global assault on killer seaweed 
Europeans provide ideas for destroying resilient algae 
Monday, January 20, 2003 

Hvar, Croatia -- Beneath the surface of Starigrad Bay, the finger-shaped inlet that serves as this Adriatic island's main harbor, the invasion is well under way. 

Just off the main ferry landing, the seafloor is carpeted in luxuriant green foliage, a thick meadow of beautiful seaweed stretching uninterrupted as far as the eye can see. The delicate, bright green plants have covered rocks, sand, mud and virtually everything else in their path. 

Before 1995, nobody in Croatia had ever seen this voracious tropical interloper, which is toxic to most marine animals and rapidly replaces other sea-bottom ecosystems. In the future, researchers fear, those diving off its Adriatic coast may see little else. 

Others fear California could be next. 

Dubbed the "killer algae" by European scientists, Caulerpa taxifolia seems to know no bounds. Prized by aquarium owners as an ornamental plant, the seaweed has been unwittingly spread from its home in the tropical Pacific to Europe, Australia and, most recently, Southern California, where authorities are trying to snuff it out before it takes over everything. 

"If, God forbid, Caulerpa comes to San Francisco Bay on somebody's boat anchor or (discarded home) aquarium water, there are areas that are probably warm enough to support it," says Susan Williams, director of UC Davis' Bodega Marine Laboratory in Bodega Bay. 


PLANT MUTATED IN CAPTIVITY

Caulerpa taxifolia normally grows in small, discreet clusters in tropical Pacific waters, dying if the water temperature drops below 70 degrees. But something happened after specimens of the plant were imported in the 1970s by the Wilhelmina Zoo in Stuttgart, Germany, which displayed the plant in its tropical aquarium. 

Somehow, the normally timid plant mutated in captivity, producing a strain capable of surviving for months in waters as cold as 50 degrees. The mutated strain also grows several times larger than its normal tropical size and spreads much faster, capable of colonizing most bottom types. 

The Wilhelmina Zoo gave samples of the pretty weed to other institutions throughout Europe. In 1984, an employee of the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco discovered a single square-meter patch of the alien seaweed growing in the sea beneath the museum. Scientists dismissed the escaped seaweed as an amusing curiosity and expected the plants to die over the winter. 

Instead, Caulerpa spread far and wide, hitching rides from port to port on boat anchors and fishing gear. Today, it covers 32,000 acres of the Mediterranean seafloor, replacing diverse native bottom habitat from Tunisia to Croatia to Spain. 

"For the Mediterranean Sea, it is too late. It can never be eradicated," says Alexander Meinesz, professor of biology at the University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis in France, who first alerted the scientific community to the seaweed's threat. "All of the (near-shore) areas of the Mediterranean will be more or less invaded by this species," he says. 


ALGAE 'SPREADS LIKE CANCER'

Caulerpa was carried hundreds of miles across the sea to the Adriatic island of Hvar on the anchor of a passing yacht seven years ago. Now, it covers almost 100 acres of sea bottom and continues to spread. 

"It gets bigger every year," laments Ante Zuljevic of the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries in nearby Split, whose efforts to eradicate the invasive seaweed merely slow its expansion. "Caulerpa spreads like cancer in a human being. Our hope is that we can keep it in check until somebody finds a way to stop it." 

Like some B-grade science-fiction alien, Caulerpa has gone global, showing up in bays and estuaries around Sydney and Adelaide in Australia. It also was found growing in a saltwater lagoon in Carlsbad, 20 miles north of San Diego, in July 2000. It has since been discovered in Huntington Harbor in Orange County, 50 miles north of the first site. 

U.S. scientists and authorities have advantages over their colleagues in the Mediterranean: They can draw from the painful lessons Europe has learned during its 14-year struggle with the renegade algae. 

Europeans have discovered that once Caulerpa gets established in a particular area, it is very difficult to eradicate. Since 1991, French scientists and authorities have tried many methods: smothering the plants with salt, sucking them up with vacuum hoses, uprooting them by hand, and smothering them under tarps. In each case, the algae quickly bounced back. 

Fortunately, eradication efforts in Southern California started early. Because both of the affected sites are located in nearly enclosed lagoons, scientists hope the seaweed can be completely wiped out before it spreads to the open ocean and beyond. 

"If Caulerpa had to invade, at least these lagoons present a manageable situation," says Williams, the UC Davis scientist who has been closely watching the project. "We're very concerned that they will get out of these lagoons." 


COMPANY MAKING HEADWAY IN STATE

Keith Merkel, head of Merkel & Associates, the company that is trying to get rid of the Caulerpa, says the firm made eradication its top priority early on. European scientists told them, "Don't mess with this stuff. Your single focus should be to kill it." 

The San Diego company covers Caulerpa stands with tarps, then kills them by applying chlorine underneath the covering. Rachel Woodfield, the head of the eradication program, says the method appears to be working. In her last underwater surveys of the Carlsbad infestation site, she found only a 4-square- foot area of Caulerpa, down from 11,000 square feet initially. 

"The battle is by no means won," Woodfield says, noting that all it takes is a single Caulerpa fragment to spark an infestation. "We want to find no Caulerpa at all for several years before we can declare victory." 

Susan Ellis, invasive species coordinator at the California Department of Fish and Game, says that preventing new introductions will require the cooperation of aquarium hobbyists and the businesses that sell marine plants to them. 

"It's clear from the type of strain that this Caulerpa came from the aquarium trade," she says. 

Caulerpa taxifolia and other members of the Caulerpa genus are extremely popular among aquarium hobbyists, who use them as an ornamental plant. As recently as 2001, the invasive Mediterranean strain of Caulerpa was being sold by 10 percent of Southern California's saltwater aquarium stores, according to a survey by biologists Steven Murray and Susan Frisch of California State University at Fullerton. 

"In many of the stores we visited, 'Caulerpa' was used as a synonym for seaweed," Murray says. More than half the stores sold some variety of the Caulerpa genus, and 95 percent stocked "live rock," pieces of stone containing live marine organisms, including seaweed fragments. 

But aquarium hobbyists are passionate about the Caulerpa genus, which comprises 73 species, many of which are difficult to tell apart, even for experts like Murray and Williams. When state legislators proposed a bill banning possession or sale of the entire genus, they were swamped with hundreds of letters, 

e-mails, and phone calls from angry aquarium owners. 

"We had a nationwide outcry," recalls David Weaver, a legislative assistant to Assemblyman Tom Harman, R-Huntington Beach (Orange County), who introduced the bill. "Their message was that banning the entire genus would have dire effects on aquarium owners." 

In the end, legislators banned only nine Caulerpa species: three known to be invasive and six look-alikes. Williams is concerned that the law will be unworkable because of the difficulty of telling Caulerpa species apart. "There is a scientific consensus that all Caulerpas should be banned from the aquarium trade," she says. "The risk is just too great." 

Woodfield, speaking on a cell phone from a boat on the infested Carlsbad lagoon, urged aquarium hobbyists not to release plants and animals into nature, 

especially Caulerpa. "If you have caulerpa, get rid of it," she says. "Get it out of your tank, put it in a plastic bag and freeze it, and throw it away."