"Croatia has no alternative but to cooperate with Serbia and Montenegro. I will sign a historic agreement on the protection of minority rights with my hosts in Belgrade, and we need to resolve the issue of 1,200 missing persons," Sanader told reporters at a convention of his Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party in Krapina, 50 kilometres north of Zagreb.
The convention for constituency no. 3, which covers the counties of Varazdin, Medjimurje and Krapina-Zagorje, was marked by speeches that predicted a certain victory of the party's presidential candidate Jadranka Kosor, and success at the next local elections.
Sanader told the gathering that Croatia would get its first woman president on January 2.
"Our presidential candidate Jadranka Kosor has gone where others are reluctant to go -- she has visited our war veterans and places where people live hard," Sanader said, adding that the new law on war veterans would restore the rights and dignity of war veterans.
At one point there was a power failure, but Sanader continued his speech in the dark.
Presidential candidate Jadranka Kosor commented on a recent statement by President Stjepan Mesic's home policy adviser, Igor Dekanic.
"They say that my election as president would be a test for the development of democracy. I passed my tests many times, including those towards women, the unemployed and war veterans. I know exactly who the aggressors against Croatia were and my statement will not have to be interpreted for three days by various interpreters," Kosor said.