ZAGREB, Feb 16 (Hina) - Being a constituent nation enjoying the same rights as others does not depend on the nation's size, Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan said on Saturday after talks with Bosnian Croat parties on upcoming
constitutional changes in the country. "A nation's being constituent cannot be conditioned on its size," said Racan after the meeting, which took place in Zagreb. Today's talks were of a consultative nature, he added. Commenting on the mutual dependence of the two countries' stability, Racan said the purpose of the meeting was to "contribute to the stability of neighbouring Bosnia-Herzegovina as much as possible." The Croatian government wants all three peoples in Bosnia-Herzegovina to be equal and constituent throughout the country and therefore urges the establishment of institutions which will guarantee their equality throughout Bosnia-Herzegovina and in both entities, Racan said
ZAGREB, Feb 16 (Hina) - Being a constituent nation enjoying the same
rights as others does not depend on the nation's size, Croatian
Prime Minister Ivica Racan said on Saturday after talks with
Bosnian Croat parties on upcoming constitutional changes in the
country.
"A nation's being constituent cannot be conditioned on its size,"
said Racan after the meeting, which took place in Zagreb.
Today's talks were of a consultative nature, he added.
Commenting on the mutual dependence of the two countries'
stability, Racan said the purpose of the meeting was to "contribute
to the stability of neighbouring Bosnia-Herzegovina as much as
possible."
The Croatian government wants all three peoples in Bosnia-
Herzegovina to be equal and constituent throughout the country and
therefore urges the establishment of institutions which will
guarantee their equality throughout Bosnia-Herzegovina and in both
entities, Racan said.
The Bosnian Croat officials informed Racan about a meeting of
Bosnian Croat parties, held several days ago near Sarajevo, at
which agreement on constitutional changes was reached.
Such a level of agreement "has not been reached since 1990", said
Milenko Brkic of the Croat People's Union.
The parties agreed that it was necessary to insist on the
introduction of bicameral parliaments in both entities with the aim
of "securing the necessary balance between the national and the
civil component," he said.
The parties urged the adoption of a law on national minorities,
requesting that vital national interests be voted as such by a
parliamentary majority and not be defined by the constitution.
Despite objections about the lack of democracy, outvoting in
central executive authorities should be excluded because "the
level of democracy in Bosnia-Herzegovina is still not sufficient",
Brkic said.
Present at the meeting at Racan's side were Foreign Minister Tonino
Picula, Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic, and the chairman of the
parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, Zdravko Tomac.
Although they were expected to attend, representatives of Bosnia's
Social Democratic Party (SDP) did not arrive.
The president of Bosnia's Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ BiH), Ante
Jelavic, did not attend the meeting either, but party vice-
president Barisa Colak and secretary-general Josip Merdzo were
present. Sources close to the party in Mostar said Jelavic could not
attend due to private reasons.
(hina) rml