HDZ SUPPORTS DECISIONS OF CROAT NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

ZAGREB, March 5 (Hina) - The Croatian Democratic Union rejected at its Monday session draft changes to the Croatian Constitution and supported requests by the Croat National Assembly of Bosnia- Herzegovina, which declared temporary self-government in the Croat-dominated areas of Bosnia-Herzegovina in Mostar on Saturday. Speaking after today's session of the party's National Committee, HDZ president Ivo Sanader said the decisions of the Croat National Assembly were a forced act of self-organisation and self-defence from the attempt to deprive the Croat people of all rights, as one of the sovereign and constituent peoples in the country. Sanader said the HDZ supported the Assembly's proposal that a new international conference on Bosnia-Herzegovina be called. Estimating that the Croatian authorities had not fulfilled their constitutional obligation of caring about Croats living outside Croatia, Sanader requested a parliamentary debate on the status of Bosnia-Herzegovina Croats, which, he said, should result in consensual conclusions which would be used in the struggle for equality of Bosnian Croats. The HDZ today also rejected draft constitutional changes on the dissolution of the House of Counties and the annulment of the right to vote for the Croat Diaspora. (hina) rml