MEETING OF COALITION LEADERS ENDS -- EXTENDED

ZAGREB, March 12 (Hina) - Leaders of the five ruling coalition parties on Tuesday managed to, at a day-long meeting, reach an agreement on personnel changes. The Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) president, Drazen Budisa, will be entering the government as deputy premier, in charge of internal and foreign affairs. President of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Prime Minister Ivica Racan, Budisa, Liberal Party (LS) president, Zlatko Kramaric, and president of the Croatian Peasant's Party (HSS), Zlatko Tomcic, held a joint press conference after the meeting. HNS president Vesna Pusic was not present at the meeting, since she was in Split at the time. The leaders announced a new meeting of the five parties for Friday to discuss a programme agreement on items of the government's programme. Racan said that all parties expressed wish for the coalition to be preserved. They agreed, he said, that the coalition agreement needs to be elaborated. "If we do not manage to solve the crisis and stabilise the coalition, and to secure a stable work of the coalition government, the consequences might be my resignation, not a discussion on a vote of non-confidence in the government in parliament," Racan said. Budisa said he is optimistic about finding a quick way out of coalition crisis. Goran Granic will remain first deputy premier as an independent member. His seat is not part of the quota of Social Liberals, Racan said. Budisa said that he as yet does not know whether Granic is still a member of his party. Racan also said he will accept the resignations by HSLS ministers Alojz Tusek and Goranko Fizulic, and that the date of their departure will be decided later. The coalition agreed to a HSS proposal that a representative of that party will not enter the government's cabinet as a deputy premier. It was agreed that ministers from HSS, as well as from HNS and LS become members of the cabinet, as specified in the government's rule book. (hina) lml np sb