ISTANBUL ISTANBUL, Nov 17 (Hina) - A Croatian parliamentary delegation attending the 48th session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Istanbul on Saturday objected to claims about nationalism and discrimination against minorities in
Croatia as well as to a border dispute between Croatia and Slovenia being described as a nationalist one.
ISTANBUL, Nov 17 (Hina) - A Croatian parliamentary delegation
attending the 48th session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in
Istanbul on Saturday objected to claims about nationalism and
discrimination against minorities in Croatia as well as to a border
dispute between Croatia and Slovenia being described as a
nationalist one. #L#
The delegation, which includes Viktor Broz and Zlatko Matesa,
objected to statements presented in a declaration of the NATO Sub-
Committee on Central and Eastern Europe, NATO Enlargement and
Partnership for Peace.
The delegation objected to claims about nationalism and
discrimination against minorities in Croatia made in a draft report
on NATO enlargement, noting that the only form of discrimination
against minorities in Croatia was positive discrimination, and
that Croatia was ahead of other countries with regard to refugee
returns, reads a statement sent to Hina.
The delegation also urged recognition of Croatia's efforts to draw
closer to NATO.
Explaining the border dispute with Slovenia, the delegation said
that its essence were not nationalist stands but differing
interpretations of the legal criteria to be applied in determining
the border line in Piran Bay.
The delegation conveyed Croatia's commitment to cooperating with
the UN war crimes tribunal at The Hague, stating that the
government's legal dispute with the tribunal in the case of general
Janko Bobetko was part of Croatia's legitimate attempts to contest
parts of Bobetko's indictment by using legal means at its disposal,
which were in line with the tribunal's statute.
(hina) rml