EUROPEAN COMISSION YET TO DISCUSS FUTURE RELATIONS WITH CROATIA

( Editorial: --> 5845 ) ZAGREB/BRUSSELS, April 9 (Hina) - The European Commission is yet to discuss future relations with Croatia and the final decision will be made at a Ministerial Council meeting on 27 and 28 April, according to Croatian diplomatic sources and those close to the European Union. According to the same sources, the discussion will be based on a two-section report, whose second section has not yet been officially published. The first section, which describes the situation in Croatia, was discussed by Commission bodies on Tuesday 7 April. The second section, which outlines measures and conclusions, should have been finished by 6 April but owing to the Easter holidays will only reach the ambassadors of EU member countries on Tuesday 14 April. From the official communique released after Tuesday's Commission meeting in Brussels, it is evident that the discussion revolved around eleven subjects - from the restructuring of the steel industry in central and eastern Europe to assistance to the customs department in Somalia. In the meantime, Hina has learned from well- informed sources that the first section of the report on Croatia has been discussed but the discussion was not aimed at passing conclusions. This disproves the allegations of the Italian daily Il Piccolo which reported, in a Wednesday article headlined "European Union Gives Zagreb a Slap in the Face," that the European Union had "decided to discontinue dialogue with Croatia regarding a cooperation agreement and the PHARE programme." The Trieste-based daily quotes several Italian deputies in the European Parliament as saying that Croatia was given the "red card." Unofficially, the Commission is expected to put Croatia on the agenda of its regular 22 April meeting. In the meantime, EU members will consider the report on their own and exchange opinions on it in bilateral contacts. The final decision will be adopted at a Ministerial Council meeting in Luxembourg on 27 and 28 April. Even though everything seems to indicate that no changes in the relations between Croatia and the European Union are to be expected this year, observers have their reservations. They are based on the fact that the Commission will discuss the report on Croatia several times, unlike last year, when the Commission forwarded it immediately to the Ministerial Council. This might indicate that Croatia is still expected to make certain positive moves toward fulfilling EU expectations. (hina) jn as 091643 MET apr 98