The purpose of today's gathering is to express opposition to the formation of the government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina which disregards the legitimate Croat political representatives and to request the amending of the Constitution in a way that will ensure equal status for the Croats as enjoyed by the two other constituent peoples: the Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks) and the Serbs.
Addressing the meeting, the leader of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZ BiH), Dragan Covic, said that decisions to be adopted by the Croat National Assembly later in the day would comply with laws and the Constitution.
"The HNS will send a message that we want a Bosnia and Herzegovina within its current borders being suitable to all the three peoples and that (Croats) may enjoy the equal institutional and territorial equality with the Bosniaks and Serbs," Covic said.
He added that today's event was the beginning of a long-standing process aimed at improving the Croats' position in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The HNS is expected to establish its Main Council, a body that would have political, executive and coordinating powers and coordinate political authority in the Croat-populated cantons and municipalities.
The assembly is also expected to adopt a resolution.
The gathering began with the adoption of a statement condemning the recent judgement by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in the case of three Croatian generals. The statement particularly criticised the trial chamber's ruling that there was a joint criminal enterprise, which is also alleged in the indictment against six Bosnian Croat war-time leaders who are awaiting the outcome of their trial before the Hague-based tribunal.
Operation Storm was a legitimate military and police operation in which Croatian forces liberated Croatia's areas and paved the way for the cessation of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the conclusion of a peace agreement, reads the statement. Croatia's generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markac were found guilty of war crimes for their roles in the August 1995 Operation Storm when Croatia's troops retook central and southern areas from rebel Serbs.
In attendance were 481 delegates out of a total of 632 Croat officials invited for this event. Croatia's Ambassador to Bosnia, Tonci Stanicic and Bosnian Croat Catholic dignitaries were also present while there were no high-ranking international diplomats.
The session was being covered by 115 reporters with the TV1 Sarajevo television station broadcasting it live.