PARTIES FROM UMAG DENY SUPPORT FOR AGREEMENT ON BORDER WITH SLOVENIA

UMAG, Aug 21 (Hina) - Ten parties from the northern Adriatic town of Umag unanimously decided at a meeting on Tuesday not to support the agreement on the border Croatia and Slovenia initialled recently. Territorial concessions have never been a condition for the building of good neighbourly relations, the parties' representatives told a news conference presenting joint conclusions. They demand the application of the ratified Agreement on Local Border Traffic, whose positive effects can be the basis for confirming the current regime of unobstructed access of Slovenia to international waters. They also request that the Croatian government solve the border issue in Piran-Savudrija Bay by respecting the international demarcation practice and setting the border line in the middle of the bay. These conclusions, the parties say, take into consideration the importance of good neighbourly relations with Slovenia as well as the basic provisions of the Croatian Constitution. The parties also believe that the adoption of the agreement on the border with Slovenia could jeopardise the status of the border with Italy. They believe the adoption of the agreement could limit the economic development in Croatia's part of Piran Bay and jeopardise the implementation of a series of business projects. Today's meeting was attended by the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), Croatian People's Party (HNS), Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS), Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Democratic Centre (DC), Croatian Party of Rights (HSP), Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), Liberal Party (LS), Party of Democratic Action (SDA) and the Independent City List. Representatives of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Socialist Labour Party (SRP) did not attend the meeting. (hina) rml