CROATIA, BOSNIA CLOSELY WATCHING DEVELOPMENTS IN AUSTRIA

SARAJEVO, Feb 11 (Hina) - Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina (BH) are following with equal attention the latest events in Austria, and will build their future relations with Austria depending on the steps of chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel's government, the foreign ministers of Croatia and BH said in Sarajevo on Friday. Austria is another example of the rule that there is no survival in democracy if stress is placed on anti-democratic standpoints, Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula, on a day-long visit to the Bosnian capital, told reporters. "I want to believe that the events in Austria are the manifestation of a crisis in political relations in this country whose previous government failed to find the right answer to challenges brought on by events like globalisation," said Picula. Croatia's foreign minister asserted he was sure Austria would overcome the present difficulties. The Croatian government first of all expects to see the acts of Austria's new authorities, and will judge them later, he asserted. Bosnian Foreign Minister Prlic said his country's authorities were closely watching the events in Austria, especially because Austria's current chancellor was a proven friend of Bosnia. Prlic said he expected the Austrian government to respect the principles from a special declaration in which Schuessel and far right leader Jorg Heider made a commitment to preserve democracy in Austria. (hina) ha