U.S. SAYS ALBRIGHT DID NOT DISCUSS CROATIAN CHURCH WITH THE VATICAN

( Editorial: --> 9064 ) ZAGREB/VATICAN, March 12 (Hina) - During recent discussions by the American Secretary of State Madeleine Albright at the Vatican, the subject of the Catholic Church in Croatia did not arise, the United States Embassy in Zagreb officially announced on Thursday. Croatian daily newspapers recently reported that Albright had asked the Vatican to "intervene with Croatian Catholic bishops in order to curb their intolerant standpoints". In response to inquiries by Hina on these claims, the US Embassy confirmed that the "reports in Vjesnik and Vecernji list are incorrect", because the American Secretary of State did not at all mention the church in Croatia during her audience with Pope John Paul II nor in discussions with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano and Vatican Secretary for Relations with States Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran. "We would also note that in a public address shortly after the new Archbishop of Zagreb (Monsignor Josip Bozanic) assumed office, the Secretary praised him for his positive remarks on the need for tolerance," a statement from the US Embassy said. Reports about Albright's alleged requests that the Holy See intervene because of the intolerance of high dignitaries in the Croatian Catholic Church spread from the Sunday edition of the Rome daily "La Repubblica". A story written by the paper's journalist Marco Politi mentioned the claim in a sentence but its possible source was not identified. (Hina) jn mb /ha 121750 MET mar 98