MESIC: CROATIA CHANGES DIRECTION OF ITS POLICY

BUZET, Feb 1 (Hina) - Presidential candidate Stipe Mesic on Tuesday visited the northern Adriatic town of Buzet, where he met the president of the Italian Union, Giuseppe Rotta, and visited "Cimos" company. Rotta said the period before the recent elections had been marked by nationalism and antagonism, adding he hoped that period was finally over. "Italians will never again be strangers in their own home," Rotta said. He added the Italian minority in Istria and Rijeka always favoured coexistence and were most supported in their efforts in Istria thanks to the policy of the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS). Rotta asked Mesic to, should he win the elections, "intercede so that a new law on the use of minority languages and rights" is adopted. Mesic said Croatia was changing the direction of its policy and leaving isolationism. "What you are requesting is a civilisation achievement," Mesic told Rotta, adding Istria County was recognisable in Europe for such achievements. The goal of the Croatian state is a "united Europe" and it is minorities that create the bridge of cooperation between Croatia and Europe. In continuation of his visit to Buzet, Mesic made a tour of "Cimos" factory, expressing satisfaction he was visiting an "exporting" firm. This, he said, was a direction he would support in the Croatian economy. Commenting on Croatian-Slovene relations, Mesic said all open questions with Slovenia could be solved, but there had been spite from both sides so far. However, Istria has shown that it can cooperate with its neighbours, he said. The decision on Piran Bay should be made bilaterally, on condition that both sides seek legal arbitration, he added. (hina) rml