SANADER SAYS UNDERSTANDS TOMCIC'S DECISION AGAINST COALITION

ZAGREB, Dec 1 (Hina) - Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) leader Ivo Sanader said on Monday he understood Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) president Zlatko Tomcic's reasons for announcing today that he would suggest to his party's presidency not to enter a coalition with the HDZ but to nonetheless support the government Sanader looked the likeliest to form. #L# Sanader told reporters at the HDZ offices that Tomcic had personally notified him about his decision. "I hope the HSS Presidency will accept the decision to support our coalition government even though formally it won't be part of it." Sanader said he understood the situation in the HSS and Tomcic, and reiterated he and Tomcic had agreed to speak again after tomorrow's HSS Presidency session. Asked if he had expected such a turn of events, Sanader answered in the affirmative and that he thought it was a good decision. Sanader said talks with the Croatian Party of Rights were continuing, that the two sides had taken note of existing problems, and that he felt the talks should not be conducted through the media. "We are going ahead with our work and I believe that after today's talks with representatives of ethnic communities, which were very good, and the afternoon round of negotiations with deputies of the Croatian Pensioners Party, we'll get enough seats based on which we'll ask the president of the republic to entrust us with forming the new government," Sanader said. (hina) ha sb