PREMIER: ANSWER FROM BRUSSELS HASN'T SURPRISED CROATIA

ZAGREB, Sept 3 (Hina) - Croatian Premier Ivica Racan has said that the answer from Brussels, saying that the European Commission is not competent for solving the Croatian-Slovene dispute over an economic belt in the Adriatic and that the row should be settled thorough dialogue, has not surprised Zagreb. #L# "The answer from Brussels has not surprised us. It contains what we have insisted on -- use talks and dialogue to push the relations between the two neighbourly and friendly countries back to normal," Racan said on Wednesday afternoon after a meeting of the leaders of the ruling coalition. Asked by reporters who should make the first step now and whether it should be Slovenia by sending its ambassador back to Zagreb, Racan answered that "this would be probably a good move". "It would be probably a good step that after consultations in Ljubljana the Slovene ambassador returned to Zagreb, and we promise that we shall not call our ambassador (from Ljubljana) for consultations," the Croatian premier said. He added that the meeting of the ruling coalition had revolved around the ties with Slovenia. The participants in the discussion voiced concern over the current situation in the bilateral relations. "We hope that this situation in the relations between the two friendly and neighbouring countries will be temporary and will be soon over," Racan told reporters and relayed the stand of the coalition partners who hope that dialogue will soon replace harsh words. The premier said that Croatia would be able to defend through talks and dialogue its national interest pertaining to the protection of economic and ecological interests in the Adriatic. He added that Zagreb would make decisions in line with its interests, trying not to harm its major national interest -- entry into the European Union. (hina) ms