HDZ MARKS 9TH ANNIVERSARY OF 1ST GENERAL CONVENTION

ZAGREB, Feb 25 (Hina) - The ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party on Thursday marked the ninth anniversary of its first general convention at the party's general secretariat in Zagreb. The first HDZ convention was held on February 24 and 25, 1990 in Zagreb. The first convention had directed historical events which were of crucial importance for the fate of the Croatian people, who demonstrated its century-long desire for freedom and its own sovereign and independent state, HDZ secretary-general Drago Krpina said at a reception held today. The mass arrival of Croatian emigrants gave a special mark to that first general convention, and some of them arrived in 1990 for the first time in Croatia after several dozen years spent in exile, Krpina said. He recalled the words of President Franjo Tudjman, who in his introductory address said that the HDZ had been more outspoken and systematic, as well as more determined and consistent than other parties in requesting that the Croat people be given the right to independence and state sovereignty. A party vice president, Vladimir Seks, who was a member of the party's working presidency during the 1st general convention, said that President Tudjman had set the deeply-rooted idea of reconciliation of all Croats as one of the basic guidelines, along with unity, which would bring about the establishment of the Croatian state. (hina) mm rml,