SABOR DELEGATION ATTENDS NATO PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY SESSION

ZAGREB, Nov 20 (Hina) - The Sabor's delegation, in the capacity of an associate member, is for the first time taking part in the second part of a regular session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. The Assembly is in session in Berlin between 17 and 21 October. The session commenced with two-day meetings of parliamentary committees on political issues, defence and security, civilian affairs, economy and development, and science and technology. During the political committee meeting, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer asserted that West Europe had made a mistake in the treatment of Slobodan Milosevic and the settlement of the crisis in the area of former Yugoslavia, as according to him, it should have used military force at the very beginning of the crisis to make Milosevic negotiate, which could have prevented a great number of victims and huge damage. Fischer also advocated a change in mechanism in decision-making within the European Union. A political committee resolution praised Croatia for its speedy progress in the development of democracy since the January election and for its cooperation with the Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The document congratulated Zagreb on the admission into the Partnership for Peace programme. A resolution adopted by the civilian affairs committee congratulated Croatia for its contribution to Euro-Atlantic security and stability. At the proposal of the Croatian delegation's head, Zdenko Franic, the political committee adopted an amendment which underlined the individual approach for the accession of new member-countries into the EU. According to another amendment, passed at the proposal of U.S. Senator William Roth, the NATO Council is asked to start negotiations not later than 2002 with all countries that apply for their membership into NATO and fulfil both democratic and NATO standards. (hina) jn ms