ZAGREB, July 13 (Hina) - The Church can show understanding for the circumstances in which the incumbent Croatian Government is, but it is not up to the Church to approve or give the green light to any government for specific concrete
decisions, Zagreb Archbishop Josip Bozanic was quoted by the Catholic agency (IKA) as saying while commenting on some statements and reports in the media on his recent talks with Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula. According to some media, during that meeting the interlocutors expressed a high degree of understanding and consent about the government's decision on the cooperation with the UN war crimes court (ICTY). According to Bozanic's statement quoted by the IKA on Friday, the Croatian Catholic Primate said he had held the meeting with Minister Picula on 10 July in the archbishop's palace to draw up a programme of the visit of Archbi
ZAGREB, July 13 (Hina) - The Church can show understanding for the
circumstances in which the incumbent Croatian Government is, but it
is not up to the Church to approve or give the green light to any
government for specific concrete decisions, Zagreb Archbishop
Josip Bozanic was quoted by the Catholic agency (IKA) as saying
while commenting on some statements and reports in the media on his
recent talks with Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula.
According to some media, during that meeting the interlocutors
expressed a high degree of understanding and consent about the
government's decision on the cooperation with the UN war crimes
court (ICTY).
According to Bozanic's statement quoted by the IKA on Friday, the
Croatian Catholic Primate said he had held the meeting with
Minister Picula on 10 July in the archbishop's palace to draw up a
programme of the visit of Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran to Croatia,
scheduled for October.
During our meeting we discussed the current situation in Croatia
and particularly the relations between Croatia and the ICTY. The
Church has great understanding for the grave situation in which the
country is currently in relation to that international
institution, Bozanic said adding that during his meeting with
Picula he also stressed that "everybody, in particular those who
govern our country, need prudence."
In the peacetime one should know how to expound and defend their own
stands, while respecting one's own and international democratic
procedure and law. In this sense it is necessary to defend Croatia's
position in the war which was imposed on us. The Church can have
understanding for the circumstances in which our Croatian
government is now, but it is not up to the Church to approve or give
its consent to any government for concrete decisions, Bozanic
said.
In this context I emphasised that it was necessary for everybody to
perform their duties in a responsible manner, keeping in one's mind
that the common good has the priority over individual, partisan and
groups' interests, Bozanic added.
The Roman Catholic dignitary reiterates the importance of harmony
and unison in this grave and delicate moment and all the political
and social forces should do their best to reach consensus about
issues important for our people and Croatia's prospects.
After the Picula-Bozanic meeting, a spokesman for the Foreign
Ministry, Goran Rotim, told Hina that the talks also tackled
problems with which Croatia was now faced, particularly in light of
the July 7 decision of the Government to continue cooperating with
the said Tribunal.
Rotim added that "the talks were assessed by both parties as very
useful, with the expressed high degree of understanding and
agreement on positions."
(hina) sb ms