ITALO-CROATIAN JOINT COMMISSION ON CONSTITUTIONAL COURT RULING

ZAGREB, March 5 (Hina) - The joint Italo-Croatian Commission on Political Issues met yesterday at the Foreign Ministry in Zagreb to examine the contents of a Feb 2 Ruling of the Croatian Constitutional Court on the Statute of Istria County, the Foreign Ministry said today. The ruling quashed parts of the preamble and 19 provisions of the Istria County Statute as unconstitutional. The Italian side reaffirmed its deep concern for the possible reduction of the level of protection of the Italian minority resulting from the ruling in question. Croatian Foreign Minister, Mate Granic, assured the Italian delegation that the ruling did not interfere in any of the acquired rights of the Italian minority. Croatia was ready to negotiate a treaty on minority rights with Italy, guaranteeing the Italian minority the highest European standards in this regard. Constitutional Court Judge, Velimir Belajec, commented on various points of the ruling. The two delegations, led by Croatian Deputy Prime Minister Smiljan Simac, and Ambassador at the Italian Foreign Ministry, Vincenzo Manno, then adopted a Joint Statement. "Both sides agreed that in the Treaty on Minority Rights being negotiated they would assure to the Italian minority the implementation of the principles contained in the Memoranudm of Understanding signed by Italy and Croatia on January 15, 1992, which since then has been producing effects as an international treaty," the statement said. (hina) as 051104 MET mar 95