ELECTIONS UNDER PRESENT CONDITIONS LEAD TO MARGINALISATION OF CROATS I

CROATS I $ N BOSNIA SARAJEVO, Sept 10 (Hina) - The highest Croat officials in Bosnia- Herzegovina on Wednesday informed ambassadors of Western countries accredited in Bosnia-Herzegovina, OSCE and European Union representatives about the decision of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party of Bosnia-Herzegovina not to participate in the upcoming municipal elections. #L# Croat member of the Bosnian Presidency, Kresimir Zubak, told Croat media that Croat officials had cited reasons for the decision, as well as numerous concrete examples if violations of the Dayton accords. Zubak stressed that statements that the HDZ was not taking part in the elections because it feared defeat had been refuted with arguments. According to him, Ambassador Frowick said that OSCE had not had double criteria towards parties participating in the elections, adding that certain things still could be changed before the elections. Zubak said that ambassadors of EU countries had announced negative consequences for the Croat people in Bosnia if the decision to boycott stayed in effect. HE said that the rest of highest Croat officials and Bosnian HDZ presidency would be informed about all possible consequences, adding they would discuss whether there was a need to change anything in the decision. President of the Bosnian Federation, Vladimir Soljic, held talks about the subject with the US Ambassador to Bosnia- Herzegovina, Richard Kauzlarich. He stressed that the Croat side could not accept to lose equally in Drvar, in the Bosnian Federation, where Serbs were allowed to register, and in Bosanski Brod or Vares, where they had constituted a majority before the war. "The present situation is leading step by step to the disappearance of Croats from Bosnia," Soljic said. He dismissed all attempts of comparing acts of the HDZ with acts of the Bosnian Serb authorities. (hina) lm jn 101721 MET sep 97