PETRITSCH PRESSURES CROATS IN CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES TALKS

MOSTAR, March 18 (Hina) - High Representative to Bosnia- Herzegovina Wolfgang Petritsch on Sunday called on the Mostar's branch of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) to act constructively in the next two days which are crucial for talks of the eight most influential parties in the country on the upcoming constitutional reforms. Petritsch pledged a full protection of the rights of Bosnian Croats in both entities' institutions. #L# A member of the HDZ presidency, Niko Lozancic, met Petritsch and said Croat officials are not ready to accept the present suggestions whose intention is to "press out Croats from this region." Diplomatic sources say the high representative received a task from the Peace Implementation Council to end constitutional changes negotiations by March 20, before both entities begin parliamentary proceedings. The Croat side is being attacked mostly by Serbs and the international community because they are opposing the principle of outvoting of the majority Serbs in Republika Srpska and Bosniaks in the Bosnian Federation. If Croats do not negotiate in good faith, somebody else will have to stand up for the rights of Croats. I guarantee that the Croat people in Bosnia will get what they have a right to and will be constitutive in the entire Bosnia and Herzegovina, Petritsch told Hina after talks with HDZ officials. Lozancic told Hina that despite the threats, Croats cannot accept the draft changes to the Constitution and described them as very bad for Bosnian Croats. During the talks we got an avalanche of threats about what we will have to face if we do not accept what the others call constructive solutions, Lozancic said. He added that the party will continue talks with Serb and Bosniak representatives on Monday to try and find solutions which would be satisfactory to both peoples. (hina) lml