KINKEL AND VEDRINE MEET CROATIAN OPPOSITION LEADERS

( Editorial: --> 0800 ) ZAGREB, March 19 (Hina) - French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine and his German counterpart Klaus Kinkel on Thursday met Croatian Opposition leaders for a working brunch at the Sheraton Hotel in Zagreb. Kinkel and Vedrine queried the leaders of Croatian Opposition parties about ther views on the internal political situation and Croatia's prospects for closer ties with Europe. Those present included Social Democratic Party chairman Ivica Racan, Liberal Party chairman Vlado Gotovac, Croatian Social Liberal Party chairman Drazen Budisa, Istrian Democratic Assembly chairman Ivan Jakovcic, Croatian People's Party chairman Radimir Cacic and Croatian Peasant Party deputy chairman Luka Trconic. "In an open conversation, Opposition leaders shared their views on the internal political situation in Croatia and Croatia's relations with Belgrade and Bosnia-Herzegovina," Kinkel said after the meeting. He added that Croatia needed to work on its understanding of democracy and media freedom, particularly in the way the media covered events in Parliament. However, from what Opposition leaders said, it was obvious that things were improving, Kinkel said, adding that the most important element was the development of Croatia's relations with the European Union. Social Democrat leader Ivica Racan said that the population at large felt a keen interest for closer ties with Europe and the European Union. "As Opposition leaders, we have strongly supported it and I feel that the meeting was successful," Racan said. "It seems that yesterday's and today's talks went well and to Croatia's benefit. Once again, we have been strongly warned that, if we truly wish to be part of Europe, we need to respect their standards and the obligations that we have undertaken," Racan said. Liberal Party chairman Vlado Gotovac said that Kinkel and Vedrine have now realised that there are, politically speaking, two different Croatias. "We have endeavoured to convey that there are political forces in Croatia which not only advocate a rapprochement with Europe, but are European by virtue of their ideology, by what they are trying to achieve, by their practice," Gotovac said. "Now, after Kinkel's and Vedrine's visit, our position is somewhat better, maybe even much better, compared to what we could expect a few days ago," Social Liberal Party leader Drazen Budisa said. Istrian Democratic Assembly chairman Ivan Jakovcic expressed the hope that the Opposition would continue to cooperate with the most important political parties in Europe, the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. "My impression was that our partners were more than satisfied. As far as the Croatian People's Party is concerned, I have warned about the danger of reviewing the Dayton Agreement to the detriment of Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which can be inferred from the announced amendments to the election law," Radomir Cacic said. "This is inadmissible because the Croats must be protected as a constituent nation," he said. Luka Trconjic of the Croatian Peasant Party noted the correlations between Croatian domestic and foreign policies. "It is precisely our domestic policy which contributes to the worsening of our international position," he elaborated. "Without authentic democratic processes, Croatia has no future," he said. (hina) mm as/mrb 191642 MET mar 98