HDZ ATTENDS BERLIN CONFERENCE OF EUROPEAN DEMOCRATIC UNION

ZAGREB, Jan 11 (Hina) - A delegation of Croatia's biggest opposition party, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), headed by president Ivo Sanader, is participating in the 20th conference of party presidents of the European Democratic Union (EDU) in Berlin, the party reported on Thursday. The presidents of some 40 European popular and conservative parties are discussing Europe's future through cooperation between sister- parties. The HDZ delegation was invited by EDU president Sauli Ministoa and the president of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Angela Merkel. The conference is expected to adopt a document defining EDU's stand toward important issues such the expansion of the European Union, common security and cooperation, family, education, the pension system and social issues. During this morning Sanader held talks with the presidents of other sister-parties on international cooperation and support for Croatia regarding important current issues and relations with the international community, the HDZ reported. He also held talks with EDU and European Popular Party (EPP) leaders on HDZ's admission to these associations. (hina) rml