CRO LOWER HOUSE ENDS DISCUSSION ON NORMALIZATION AGREEMENT

ZAGREB, Sept 19 (Hina) - Croatian Parliament House of Representatives on Thursday ended a two-day discussion on the Report on Croatia's international position and a Bill on ratifying the agreement of normalization of relations between Croatia and Yugoslavia. The opinions of some hundred representatives polarized to views of representatives of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and views of the opposition. HDZ representatives supported the agreement, believing it realized Croatia's strategic interest. Opposition representatives accepted the agreement as a fact of peace, but expressed doubts whether this was the right time for it to be signed, whether the provisions of the agreement were precise enough and whether they guaranteed that the agreement would be implemented. At several occasions, Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic answered to representatives' remarks and questions. In his conclusion, Granic reiterated that agreement presented recognition of Croatia's territorial integrity and sovereignty by its main enemy. The agreement realizes Croatia's basic strategic interest and it can now turn towards other interests, which is primarily its accession into European integrations and the Council of Europe. (hina) lm jn 192135 MET sep 96