ZAGREB. Dec 11: President Franjo Tudjman. the former communist general who led Croatia to independence during the tumultuous breakup of Yugoslavia with a nationalist fervor that contributed to the war in Bosnia, has died at age 77. report AP. Reuter.

Tudjman, who had been hospitalised since undergoing emergency intestinal surgery Nov. 1. died late Friday, Prime Minister Zlatko Mutesa said. The government did not give the cause of his death, but Tudjman had been rumoured to be suffering from stomach cancer since 1996.

Tudjman died after six weeks of treatment for abdominal disorders, state television said today.

The television broke into Its regular programmes at 2 am lo-cal time to announce Tudjman's death in a brief statement.

Thousands of Croats stood silently today outside the hospital where he died as a black hearse transported Tudi man's body through the capital to the presidential palace, where he will lie in state until a state funeral Monday.

"I came to pay the last honor to my president," said Robert Kriznlk. a veteran of the 1991 independence war who was maintaining vigil at the hospital. "He fought for Croatia. 1 fought for Croatia."

Parliament speaker Vlatko Pavietlc. who became interim Eresident on Nov. 26. appeared riefly on television before dawn today to announce that "the big heart of President Franjo Tudjman ceased to beat-

Flags were lowered to halfstaff. and all cultural, sporting and entertainment events were canceled for a three-day mourning period. New presidential elections are to be held within 60 days.

At a European Union summit in Helsinki. Finland, the EU's foreign policy chief said Tudjman's death should open the way for change not only in Croatia but throughout the troubled Balkans.

"A major figure of Croatia and the Balkans has disap-£ eared," Javier Solana said. We ave to hope that the elections that will now take place in Croatia, the new political situation. will help Croatia in the direction of a democratic country."

Tudjman retained his virtual one-man rule to the end despite a reputation for corruption. cronyism and inefficiency that plagued his ruling Croatian Democratic Union.