SOUTHERN TIROLEAN, HDZ OFFICIALS HOLD TALKS

ZAGREB, April 26 (Hina) - The president of the Southern Tirolean parliament and official of the Southern Tirolean People's Party, Franz Pahl said in Zagreb on Thursday that the rights of national minorities in Croatia were at the European level, adding that national minorities in Croatia had more rights than minorities in other countries. After talks with president of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) Ivo Sanader, Pahl told a news conference that demands of the Istrian Democratic Assembly in Istria were not legitimate and that the rights of the Italian national minority in Istria were guaranteed by the Croatian Constitution and laws. Sanader advocated the suspension of several regulations of the Istria County Statute, which according to him, has caused unnecessary tensions. Pahl criticised moves of the international community's High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Wolfgang Petritsch and described them as "anti-European and anti-democratic". Pahl also expressed disappointment with the current Croatian authorities. On behalf of his party, Pahl supported Croatia's joining European integration. Of 35 seats in the Southern Tirolean parliament, the Southern Tirolean People's Party holds 21 and is also represented in the Italian Parliament. (hina) it sb