CROATIA HAS TO RESPECT COMMITMENTS IT HAS TAKEN ON - MPS

( Editorial: --> 7188 ) ZAGREB, April 16 (Hina) - Relations between Croatia and neighbouring countries are very good, Zarko Domljan of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) bench said during Thursday's House of Representatives session. Croatia is a member of numerous organisations and it has signed many international agreements and conventions. "Croatia fully respects these commitments," Domljan told parliament. Croatia does not want to "isolate itself" but wants to establish relations with the international community which would be based on respect and trust. "It is not true that Croatia is unwilling to cooperate and that it is not ready to listen to advice, but it cannot accept advice which is not well-intentioned and turns into pressure," Domljan concluded. The Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) bench suggested a referendum on the general return of Serbs and requested that the Croatian Government resign, "because of its cooperativeness which has exceeded all limits", Ante Djapic of the HSP told parliament. Djapic added that the international community expected Croatia to be a stable state. However, Croatia could not be stable and grant amnesty to criminals, be in the dark about the fate of missing Croatian soldiers, fail to protect Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina and tolerate the fact that only Croats were tried in The Hague, he said. Zlatko Tomcic of the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) bench suggested that an international conference on return in all directions be called. "The international community would then take over certain commitments, first of all to finance and determine the dynamics of return," he said. Tomcic addressed part of Foreign Minister Mate Granic's speech on Croatia's international position, which said that Croatian foreign policy was consistent and transparent. "The world does not trust Croatia because its external policy is inconsistent and non-transparent," Tomcic said mentioning as an example Croatia's policy towards Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Government's view concerning the return of refugees. If this country wants progress, its foreign policy has to be conducted not only by the Government and the President but by the Croatian National Parliament as well, said Damir Kajin of the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS). Describing Granic's speech as "balanced, objective and realistic", Kajin stressed that there were parts in it the IDS could not accept. Croatia has to start implementing what it has signed, otherwise there will be new pressures, he said. Social Democratic Party (SDP) leader Ivica Racan told parliament he could agree to a considerable extent with the introductory part of Granic's speech, especially with the part which pointed to problems. He welcomed the fact that the introductory part did not condemn international pressures. "Criticism coming from Europe, which concerns the implementation of our obligations, cannot be called pressure, nor can warnings that we are departing from democratic standards of Europe, which we want to become part of, be considered as pressure," said Racan. In the past several years, Croatia had not conducted a consistent policy when it came to some basic questions concerning foreign policy, Croatian Social-Liberal Party leader Drazen Budisa said. This lack of consistency showed in Croatia's policy towards Bosnia- Herzegovina, Budisa added. The term "complex" used by Minister Granic in describing Croatia's position should have been replaced by the term "very difficult", he said. Budisa said he believed that the international community had no interest which could oppose Croatian interests, adding though he agreed with Granic who said that the international community should have more understanding for the dynamics of return. Njegovan Starek of the minority bench said he was satisfied with the largest part of Granic's speech, but resented the fact that Granic always spoke "about problems of only one minority". Starek said he had no objections concerning the Constitution and the Constitutional Law on National Minorities, but warned that problems existed in their implementation. (hina) mm rm /mb 161758 MET apr 98