HSP/HKDU BENCH AGAINST CHANGES TO MARITIME CODE

ZAGREB, April 11 (Hina) - The parliamentary bench of the Croatian Party of Rights/the Christian Democratic Union (HSP/HKDU) opposes amendments to the Martime Code, moved by the government as the changes stipulate that foreign war ships with nuclear weapons would be allowed to enter Craotian ports. #L# The bench's head, Anto Djapic, said at a news conference that such a decision of the government had nothing to do with the country's needs, particularly at times when Craotia was still far from joining NATO. "The government is correcting with this move its inconsistent policy towards the United States, and now when the United Staes has won in Iraq it (the Croatian government) would like to insinuate itself into good graces of the United Staes by accepting its requests," Djapic added. An MP of the HSP, Tonci Tadic, warned that this draft bill could ruin Croatia's reputation as a tourist-oriented country and of the Adriatic as an area without nuclear arms. The HSP/HKDU bench is asking of the government to prepare as soon as possible materials for a parliamentary debate on the country's foreign affairs in light of new arrangements in the relations, as Djapic said, while the war in Iraq is entering its final stage. Croatia must immediately define its relations towards the European Union and NATO beacuse of the new circusmtances, the HSP leader said. (hina) ms sb