BUDISA CONFIRMS HE WON'T MEET WITH RACAN TODAY

ZAGREB, March 1 (Hina) - The president of the Social Liberals (HSLS), Drazen Budisa, told reporters on Friday he would not meet his Social Democrat (SDP) counterpart Ivica Racan, as had been unofficially announced, before today's meeting of the leaders of the ruling coalition's five parties. We agreed the topic we are discussing today should be discussed by the coalition and that there is no reason for a separate Budisa- Racan meeting, said Budisa. The Budisa-Racan meeting had been unofficially announced for noon. According to unofficial reports at the parliament, it was cancelled by Racan. A well-informed parliamentary source close to the SDP who wished to remain unnamed said Racan cancelled the meeting as he still did not have his party's position on all significant issues, and because private meetings elicit a series of different interpretations. Before the meeting of the coalition leaders, which began after 1 pm, it was said the Budisa-Racan meeting had not even been envisaged. HSLS vice president Djurdja Adlesic declined to say why the meeting was not held, stating only that it was not good that the two officials did not meet. The absence of talks is a sign of a serious crisis, she said. Political circles consider today's meeting of the coalition leaders crucial for the survival of both the coalition and the government in the wake of yesterday's resignations of six HSLS government ministers, which has been publicly interpreted as the government's deepest crisis to date. hina) ha