CRO FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVES EU REPS - STATEMENT

ZAGREB, Sept 10 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic on Wednesday received representatives of three European countries accredited in Croatia at their request, the Croatian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The Dutch Embassy's charge d'affaires and Italian and British ambassadors handed Minister Granic a protest note in which they stated their concern and regret over a decision of the presidency of the Croatian Democratic Union Party of Bosnia-Herzegovina (HDZ BH) not to take part in the impending Bosnian municipal election, scheduled for 13 and 14 September. According to the protest note, the HDZ BH presidency should through talks with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe find a solution to mutual satisfaction. The Croatian government is requested to exert its influence in order to find a solution acceptable to all parties. The protest note said HDZ BH's failure to alter its decision could have negative consequences on Croatia's relations with the European Union as well. Granic told the European Union representatives the HDZ BH presidency's decision had been reached independently and unanimously after numerous oversights in preparing and scheduling the election, oversights which brought Bosnian Croats in an extremely unfavourable position, particularly in Mostar, Drvar, Zepa and Vares. Croatia's foreign minister informed the representatives of the European Union that in relation to the matter, Croatian President Franjo Tudjman would tomorrow receive the high international representative for BH, Carlos Westendorp, and his deputy Jacques Klein. Today, Granic discussed the matter at separate meetings with U.S. Ambassador to Croatia Peter Galbraith, and ambassadors of Great Britain and Germany, who conveyed messages of concern of U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and British and German foreign ministers Robin Cook and Klaus Kinkel over the mentioned decision and the possible consequences it could have on the overall peace process in BH. At these meetings, Granic pointed out the Bosnian Croat community's concern regarding irregularities in preparations for the election, particularly regarding some reports whose publication reflected non-permissible pre- election steps which, through numerous inaccuracies, distorted facts related to leaders of the Croat community in BH and Croatia, the Croatian Foreign Ministry's statement concluded. (hina) ha jn 102104 MET sep 97