WASHINGTON TIMES COMMENTS ON CONFLICTS IN HDZ

WASHINGTON, June 23 (Hina) - Sunday's issue of Washington Times analyses the situation in the Croatian Democratic Union party (HDZ) and writes about the political conflict between Ivo Sanader and Ivic Pasalic. #L# Reporter Jeffery Kuhner recalls that at the party's assembly sanader won by a small number of votes over Pasalic, and describes how the defeated was removed last week from all party duties. The Washington daily relays Pasalic's assessments that Sanader's act is undemocratic, and claims that he was "removed by communist methods" from the HDZ leadership. The paper also runs Sanader's explanations about the new HDZ and his call to Pasalic to stop with accusations and help the party at the coming elections. Washington Times cites a poll and stresses that the HDZ's victory is to be expected in general elections in Croatia which could be early. The paper also runs the opinion of Slaven Letica, representing him as a university professor of economics, that Sanader is using dubious methods to get rid of Pasalic and his sympathisers. Sanader must prove to be a true democrat in leading his party and country, Letica was cited as saying. (hina) lml