BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH

HR-CHURCH-Politika BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH NO. 4443HINA Zagreb, 12 November 2001RACAN: GOVT IS READY FOR DIALOGUE WITH CHURCHZAGREB, Nov 12 (Hina) - Prime Minister Ivica Racan on Monday expressed regret over public statements exchanged recently between the Government and the Croatian Bishops' Conference, saying the Government had been ready for dialogue about open issues before the Church issued its latest statement and it still was. "I think the Bishops' Conference statement (on the social situation in the country) was not very fortunate and I agree that our response did not contribute to the dialogue either," Racan told Croatian Radio. The government and I personally are ready to continue the dialogue, Racan said, adding public debates diminished the prospects for it. Prime Minister Racan said some unpleasant tones in the government statement were a reaction to some unpleasant and unfounded assessments in the bishops' statement. Asked if this had