SIMONOVIC RESPONDS TO ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

ZAGREB, Feb 23 (Hina) - Croatia's assistant Foreign Minister, Ivan Simonovic said tonight he was 'surprised' by the Italian Foreign Minister, Susanne Agnelli's statement of concern over Croatian- Italian relations. Agnelli had said that a recent Croatian Constitutional Court decision concerning the Istra county statute had reduced the level of rights enjoyed by the minority Italian community. The decision was against the Memorandum of Protection of Minority Rights signed by the two counries January 1992, she said. Simonovic emphasised that his ministry for now, was following Agnelli's reports through the media. Her statement, depending on media accuracy, was an awkward surprise, Simonovic said, considering a meeting to be held soon, at the beginning of March in Zagreb. The meeting was expected to discuss the status of minorities in Croatia and Italy, Simonovic said, emphasising the word minorities. 'It was disappointing that Croatia's Constitutional Court decision was questioned,' Simonovic said. The Croatian Government believed that 36 provisions in the above-mentioned statute were unconstitutional but the Constitutional Court found that only 18 were unconstitutional. Simonovic said the 1992 Memorandum had never been ratified by the Croatian Parliament. But the forthcoming Italian-Croatian agreement on minorities rights should include Memorandum provisions which were in the best interests of both countries. Simonovic said he believed that the March meeting was an opportunity to smooth over any misunderstandings about the Constitutional Court decision. (Hina) jn sd rv 232222 MET feb 95