ZAGREB, March 21 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament will begin its 31st session next Wednesday with a government report on the Iraqi war and the government's position, after which benches will outline their stands, it was agreed at a
session of the Sabor Presidency on Friday.
ZAGREB, March 21 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament will begin its
31st session next Wednesday with a government report on the Iraqi
war and the government's position, after which benches will outline
their stands, it was agreed at a session of the Sabor Presidency on
Friday. #L#
The benches will have five minutes to state their views, parliament
president Zlatko Tomcic told journalists after the closed-door
Presidency session which was attended by party whips, Deputy Prime
Minister Goran Granic, and Foreign Minister Tonino Picula.
The agreement about the Wednesday briefing was not easily reached
as benches disagreed as to whether parliament should debate the war
in Iraq and Croatia's standpoints, it was unofficially said.
Advocating the debate were the Social Democrats, the Croatian Party
of Rights, and the Democratic Centre, while the Croatian Democratic
Union and the Croatian People's Party (HNS) were against it, said
one source.
Tomcic declined to confirm this, diplomatically stating that
different views were normal.
HNS Vesna Pusic confirmed the claim. She said the government's
position on Iraq was known and that it was authorised to allow the
U.S. and its allies to use Croatia's airspace and airports.
Any further extent of Croatia's support would call for a
parliamentary debate, but at the moment the government's briefing
is enough, she said.
According to Pusic, a parliamentary debate would not damage
Croatia's position but it would address something the parliament
can no longer decide on.
Vesna Skare-Ozbolt of the DC said that all parliaments had debated
the Iraqi crisis and that the Sabor should follow suit.
She said Granic and Picula had confirmed the government had stepped
up the security alert and that sufficient oil stocks had been
secured.
Commenting on President Stjepan Mesic's address about the U.S.
intervention in Iraq yesterday, Skare-Ozbolt said it was critical
and, compared to the government's position, much stronger.
She added, however, it would not make the government's position
more difficult and was confident the government would resume talks
with the United States to alleviate the differences that had come to
the fore over Iraq.
(hina) ha