CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IN PRIVATE AUDIENCE WITH POPE ( Editorial: --> 0549 )

( Editorial: --> 0549 ) VATICAN, 13 Nov (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic had a private audience with Pope John Paul II on Thursday, at which he relayed to the pontiff a message from President Franjo Tudjman. Official talks between Granic and his Vatican counterpart Jean Louis Tauran were held in a cordial and friendly atmosphere. The two officials agreed that the relations between the two countries were very good. Granic informed Tauran about Croatia's wish for Pope John Paul II to visit Split and the national shrine of Marija Bistrica. The two ministers also discussed the situation in the Croatian Danube river region and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Tauran said that Catholicism was especially endangered in central Bosnia as many Croats were leaving the region. That could also be a weak link in the further implementation of the Dayton agreement, he said. (hina) jn rm (hina) jn rm 131547 MET nov 97