CROATIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY ON INCIDENT IN SIROKI BRIJEG

ZAGREB, May 3 (Hina) - With regard to a disturbance occurred at a Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) rally in Siroki Brijeg, Bosnia- Herzegovina, the Croatian Defence Ministry on Tuesday issued a statement denying accusations made by HSP spokesman Ante Dapic at a Monday press conference. Here are some highlights: "Condemning all forms of violence, we repudiate any suggestion of the ministry's involvement in these events, construed by the HSP leadership so as to implicate the Croatian leadership and the ministry. The speed with which the incident was interpreted as an attempt to undermine the Washington Agreement and these groundless accusations clearly show that there are political motives behind this media campaign, aimed at denigrating Croatia's policy as war- mongering and hypocritical. The Republic of Croatia is sincerely supporting the consistent implementation of the Washington Agreement, which was precisely the subject of President Tudjman's letter to President of the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina Alija Izetbegovic, announcing his impending visit to Sarajevo in a bid to speed up the implementation of the said Agreement," said the statement. The disturbance in question occurred on Sunday at an HSP rally in Siroki Brijeg (Herzegovina). According to Dapic, the HSP leaders were assaulted by a group of men who were hurling abuse, clenching their fists and brandishing baseball bats, hammers, chairs and even a table. The HSP worthies hared off to Grude, where they received medical treatment, said Dapic. 031659 MET may 94