CROATIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION VISITS NATO'S HEADQUARTERS

BRUSSELS, March 19 (Hina) - A multiparty Croatian delegation on Monday toured NATO's headquarters in Brussels.#L# "We came here in right time when the situation in the Balkans became again volatile," the delegation's head, Zdravko Tomac, told Hina. On Monday morning the 10-member delegation attended a lecture and discussion on post cold-war orientation of the Alliance, its role in the Balkans and its programme for Euro-Atlantic partnership and cooperation. The Croatian parliamentarians used this occasion to explain their views on the situation in the region where one could see "no political solution for Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro, and in Bosnia-Herzegovina there is wandering in the strategy which may be very dangerous," Deputy Sabor Speaker Tomac said. "Croatia is willing to assume a significant role in bids to settle these problems, given that it is in our interest to see the stabilisation of the region. In addition, the international community should include and consult Croatia before it takes some steps, as we believe that our advice and initiatives could help to counter delays in response as it was the case in the last 10 years," Tomac added. He told NATO officials that he could see no reason for not admitting Croatia into a group of nine countries-applicants for the entry to NATO, whose accession into the Alliance would be considered in Prague next year. "Thanks to its position, Croatia is perhaps the most interesting candidate for the speedy accession into NATO," Tomac said. Speaking about Bosnia-Herzegovina he asserted that the current crisis in that country could not be solved by a model: 'one person - one vote' and that some moves of the international community produced a crisis in Bosnia rather than settling it. On Tuesday the Sabor delegation will tour College of Europe in Brugge. On Wednesday and Thursday it is going to meet officials of the European Commission and European Parliament in Brussels. (hina) ms