CHURCH FOR COOPERATION WITH STATE, BUT NOT WITH PARTIES - BOZANIC

BONN, June 7 (Hina) - The head of the Catholic Church in Croatia, Archbishop of Zagreb Josip Bozanic, on Monday visited the Croatian Embassy in Bonn as part of the marking of Croatian Diplomacy Days. Over the weekend, Bozanic also attended the marking of the 25th anniversary of the Croatian Catholic Mission in Bonn. At a time when Croatia is undergoing a deep transformation, the Church is an institution open to dialogue and willing to cooperate with state institutions, but not with parties, the archbishop said during talks with Ambassador Zoran Jasic. Msgr Bozanic reiterated what Croatian President Franjo Tudjman had said, namely that Croatia was an ancient state which had to wait the end of the 20th century to establish its independence. It is up to Croatia's diplomacy to present our country in the world as best as possible, Bozanic stressed. It is our desire for Croatia to pass through the transition period as harmlessly as possible, he added. Ambassador Jasic pointed to the big part the Catholic Church and Croatian Catholic Missions have played in the past 50 years by remaining a place of Croatian patriotism, where belonging to Croatia, the Croatian language and culture, and the Croatian identity have been nurtured. Msgr Bozanic stressed that Croatian emigrants were critical of the state's functioning, and not of its integrity. We must enable the young in the homeland to have identical or at least similar conditions in education, employment and living, he said, adding the young will then be more willing to return to Croatia. (hina) ha jn