CROATIA-U.S. RELATIONS GOOD - PRESIDENT MESIC

ZADAR, March 21 (Hina) - President Stjepan Mesic said on Friday U.S.-Croatia relations had been good thus far and would remain so. Asked about his address to the nation yesterday, he said his and the government's views on the strike on Iraq "are not even a shade different". #L# Speaking to reporters at a highway construction site in Maslenica, Mesic said "Croatia and the U.S. are friends, allies, we are in the anti-terror coalition and our cooperation will not be disrupted". "This is one episode in the U.N.'s development. In this case there was no consensus on action," Mesic said, reiterating the United States had decided with its allies to strike without the United Nations. "As friends, we said that all means should be used to find a peaceful solution. We thought there were still some prospects of peace. The American stance was different and the action began," said the president. He said he only hoped the war would be brief, with as few victims as possible, both among soldiers and civilians. Asked if Croatia would be prevented from participating in the post- war reconstruction of Iraq because of his address yesterday, Mesic said, "Why would anybody's way in the reconstruction of Iraq be barred?" Croatia is not participating in the Iraqi war militarily but has opened its airspace for the allies, which makes it a partial participant, he said. Reporters asked him to comment on the stance of the strongest opposition party, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), on the Iraqi crisis. "I don't know why the HDZ is such a staunch supporter of the U.S. It would be better if there was a consensus on foreign policy issues in Croatia. If Croatia advocates the same position as the Pope and the bulk of Europe, it is questionable if one should renounce that position. Finally, the HDZ is profiled as a democratic-Christian party, so it would do well to listen to what the Pope is saying." (hina) ha sb