IZETBEGOVIC BLAMES ZAGREB FOR STRAINED CROATIAN-BOSNIAN RELATIONS

( Editorial: --> 1025 ) SARAJEVO, 26 Dec (Hina) - The relations between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia were not good because the Croatian side was making moves which contributed to the deterioration of those relations, said the president of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), Alija Izetbegovic, on Friday. Speaking at a party press conference in Sarajevo, Izetbegovic said that the Croatian proposal on establishing special relations was 'inappropriate'. He also said that Croatia "refuses to reach and agreement with Bosnia-Herzegovina on the use of Ploce port". The latest example of Zagreb's bad intentions concerning its relations with Bosnia-Herzegovina was the fact that Bosniaks were excluded from the Croatian Constitution as a minority, although, Izetbegovic said, the Bosniaks were the second largest minority in Croatia. The Croatian side did not want the improvement of relations, he said, adding Bosnia-Herzegovina was open for cooperation with Croatia as its first neighbour. "The aim of some Croatian circles is the division of Bosnia....I am also very disappointed with the latest interview of President Tudjman in the Italian press, where it is said that Croatia is protecting civilisation from some kind of our invasion and that it would be best to have some kind of divided Bosnia-Herzegovina," Izetbegovic said. Bosnia-Herzegovina would not give up its suit against Yugoslavia for aggression and genocide before the Hague International Tribunal, as it was the only way to establish the real truth about the causes of the war, Izetbegovic said. Commenting on claims concerning the presence of Islamic radicalism in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Izetbegovic said that a more tolerant variant of Islam was present in his country and that radical elements could in no way dominate that kind of Islam. (hina) mm rm 261903 MET dec 97