US DEPUTY STATE SECRETARY HOLDS TALKS WITH CROATIAN OPPOSITION LEA

OPPOSITION LEA $ DERS ZAGREB, Jan 14 (Hina) - US Deputy State Secretary John Kornblum held talks with leaders of the Croatian opposition parties in Zagreb on Monday. Deputy President of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Zdravko Tomac said after the meeting that "American partners said that they strongly supported Croatia as a sovereign, independent and democratic country whose place is in Europe". In a telephone conversation for the Croatian Television talk-show "Motrista", Tomac said that the United States of America "hold that it is necessary to still do some things for us to be on the level with European standards," that it was necessary to advance some democratic processes, especially the freedom of the media. "We of the opposition are especially glad that Mr. Kornblum said that the USA would continue the politics of maintaining Bosnia-Herzegovina, the maintenance of borders of countries created (after the dissolution of Yugoslavia) in the region and that they would strongly support the peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danube river region (eastern Slavonia, Baranja and western Srijem), in line with plans Kornblum held talks about with President Tudjman," Tomac said. He stressed that opposition members had been "quite united" during the meeting, and had defended Croatia's position in central Europe and Europe. Present at the meeting with Kornblum were also President of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) Vlado Gotovac, President of the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) Zlatko Tomcic, President of the Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) Ivan Jakovcic and President of the Serb Democratic Forum (SDF) Milorad Pupovac, Croatian Radio Television reported. (hina) lm jn 141058 MET jan 97