CROATIAN SOCIAL DEMOCRATS AND LIBERALS MEET DUTCH COUNTERPARTS

ZAGREB, Nov 15 (Hina) - Representatives of the opposition coalition between the Social Democratic Party and the Croatian Social Liberal Party - SDP/HSLS on Monday met representatives of the Dutch Labour Party (Partij van de Arbeit/PvdA), a social democratic party which together with two liberal parties forms the Dutch ruling coalition. The PvdA, which is the strongest party in the three-member coalition, supported cooperation between the SDP and the HSLS before and after the elections. Ad Melkert, the head of the PvdA parliamentary bench in the Dutch parliament, told a joint press conference it was necessary to form coalitions between parties of different political orientation. Alvar Pinto Scholtbach, a PvdA vice president and the party international secretary, said the compromise between the labour and liberal parties has increased social stability in the Netherlands. Asked whether the SDP can lead Croatia into European associations faster than the currently ruling party, Melkert said it was Social Democrats in western Europe who were the forerunners of those advocating the expansion of the European Union. Melkert stressed the importance of international party cooperation as well as the Socialist International's support to the SDP. (hina) jn rml