HDZ PRESENTS HSLS WITH STARTING POINTS ON POSSIBLE COOPERATION

ZAGREB, June 10 (Hina) - After a brief talk between representatives of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) and the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) held at the Croatian parliament on Monday, Ivic Pasalic of HDZ told reporters that HDZ representatives had presented HSLS with "programme starting points for discussion on a possible cooperation between HSLS and HDZ." According to Pasalic, it was agreed that HSLS would answer those starting points after its Main Council session, which should take place on Wednesday. The ruling HDZ and the opposition's HSLS began talks on a possible cooperation last Friday, when HSLS presented HDZ with conditions for the cooperation. "We received HDZ's answer to our memorandum and it will be discussed on our Main Council session on Wednesday, to which our answer to HDZ will follow", said Zlatko Kramaric of HSLS. Pasalic said that he was "fifty-fifty per cent" optimistic about an agreement between the two parties. In answer to a journalist's question as to why HSLS had been chosen for the talks, Pasalic said: "... a possible agreement on cooperation, as our proposal says, contributes to the development of the democracy and sovereignty of Croatia, particularly in these delicate times when many events relating to a final solution to the crisis in these regions are still to take place." (hina) ha jn 101902 MET jun 96