IZETBEGOVIC; IMPROVEMENT OF RELATIONS WITH CROATIA IS PRIORITY

SARAJEVO, Jan 27 (Hina) - The victory of Opposition parties at the recently held parliamentary elections created a democratic atmosphere in Croatia, and with such a neighbour on the West and a week Serbia on the East, Bosnia-Herzegovina has a new chance today, member of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency Alija Izetbegovic said on Thursday. In an interview published by Sarajevo daily "Oslobodjenje", Izetbegovic said that after he takes over the duty of the chairman of the Presidency in less than a month, his most important priority would be the improvement of relations with Croatia, namely the "opening of an era of versatile cooperation with this neighbouring and friendly country". The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) system of government, Izetbegovic said, was not overthrown by the death of Franjo Tudjman, but by the unjustifiable low standard of living and autocratic behaviour in interior relations and cold relations with Europe and the world. When asked what kind of influence would changes in Croatia have on Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Bosniak leader said that with nationalism in the Serb and Croat corps, only his party (the Party of Democratic Action, SDA) could defence interests of Bosniaks. Everyone else is indifferent to those interests and that is the reason why I am not afraid for the position of the SDA at the elections in the upcoming year, Izetbegovic said. He added he had no intention to announce his candidacy for the new mandate in the State Presidency. Izetbegovic stressed he supported standpoints of his coalition partner Haris Silajdzic, namely that the Dayton Agreement should be changed. When asked whether he intended to move out of someone else's apartment which he occupied, Izetbegovic said he was given the apartment in line with regulations which were valid in Bosnia- Herzegovina in the time of war, adding he had no moral doubts about it. (hina) it