HSLS PRESIDENT: CRO POLICY IN BH FAILED

ZAGREB, August 2 (Hina) - Croatia was in a general and comprehensive crisis getting worse since an attempt at negotiations between the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), HSLS president Vlado Gotovac told a press conference in Zagreb on Friday. Gotovac said the crisis was the reason why Croatian President Franjo Tudjman went to Washington to find a solution that could not be found in Croatia. Croatia was losing trust and partners in the world, Gotovac said, because of its persistent refusal to define the goals of its domestic and foreign affairs. Gotovac said that the issue of Bosnia-Herzegovina was the cause of the biggest divide in Croatia, since Croatia never exactly determined the interests of the Croat people there and how they were protected. As regarded the Mostar crisis, Gotovac said that the Croatian policy in Mostar made several mistakes and that, in Bosnia- Herzegovina, Croatia "failed". Speaking of the situation in Croatia, Gotovac said that a coalition government would not be enough to solve the numerous problems, unless the position of the government in authority changed, adding that the ruling HDZ persisted in its refusal to solve the Zagreb crisis and its negative relations towards the media, criticism and intellectuals. All this had a negative effect on inter-party relations in Croatia too, Gotovac said, adding that the Croatian policy could be changed only if the opposition leadership changed. He pointed out that in opposing the ruling HDZ opposition parties must be ready for a certain level of cooperation. Gotovac, proposed by his party as a Croatian presidential candidate, was willing to give up this candidacy in favour of a joint opposition candidate, since, he said, "no one thinks it's possible to agree on a joint candidacy for a presidential candidate, which will ruin the possibility to defeat President Tudjman". HSLS vice-president Zlatko Kramaric stressed that it was necessary to insist on a soon reintegration of eastern Slavonia, Baranja and western Srijem, particularly in relation to the last events in Vukovar, which could have a dangerous progress. (hina) ha 021530 MET aug 96