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FOREIGN PRESS BUREAU ZAGREB
Daily Bulletin

October 5, 1998

In todays bulletin:
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 CROATIA

1. Pope John Paul IIs Visit to the Republic of Croatia
	1.a. Pope John Paul II Officially Visits the Croatian President
	1.b. Matesa Meets With Vaticans Secretary of State
	1.c. Beatification of Cardinal Stepinac
	1.d. Pope John Paul II Meets With Cultural Representatives
	1.e. Popes Trip in Split

 BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA

2. Elections Demonstrate the Progress of B-H
3. Interior Ministry in Herzeg-Neretva Canton Resigns


***

 CROATIA


1. POPE JOHN PAUL IIS VISIT TO THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA

1.a. POPE JOHN PAUL II OFFICIALLY VISITS THE CROATIAN PRESIDENT

Pope John Paul II paid an official visit to the Croatian President, Dr.
Franjo Tudjman on Saturday afternoon at the presidential palace where the
pontiff was introduced to top Croatian officials and members of the
diplomatic corps. Upon arrival the Pope was greeted by the president and
the first lady.

As a gift in memory of the beatification of Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac,
President Tudjman presented the Pope with a bronze figure of the Cardinal
and a relief symbolically depicting the Popes message and deeds. In turn
the Pope bestowed Tudjman with a bronze relief, depicting St. Peter and Paul.

After introducing the members of his immediate family, President Tudjman
and Pope John Paul II retreated behind closed doors to discuss relations
between the Vatican and Croatia and other pressing international issues.


1.b. MATESA MEETS WITH VATICANS SECRETARY OF STATE

Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa and other officials met with the Vatican's
Secretary of State, Angelo Sodano, and other representatives of the Holy
See to discuss an economic agreement between Croatia and the Vatican which
is expected to be signed in the near future. During these talks the
Catholic Church in Croatia was represented by Zagreb archbishop Josip
Bozanic and cardinal Franjo Kuharic.


1.c. BEATIFICATION OF CARDINAL STEPINAC

On Saturday morning, Pope John Paul II celebrated mass at the shrine of
Marija Bistrica and beatified Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac. An estimated
500,000 pilgrims were present for the rite of beatification which the Pope
described as a historical event for the Church and the Croatian people
because a prominent figure of the Catholic Church, Cardinal Stepinac, would
now be remembered by his countrymen with the shining mark of martyrdom.

His death, said the pontiff, was caused by long term suffering which he
endured for the last 15 years of his life in order to bear witness to the
gospel and for the unity of the Church. The services in Marija Bistrica
were attended by more than a thousand members of the clergy. Also present
were the President and the First Lady, representatives of the diplomatic
corps, state officials, representatives of the Church and the Vatican, as
well as many prominent public figures.


1.d. POPE JOHN PAUL II MEETS WITH CULTURAL REPRESENTATIVES

On Saturday evening the Pope arrived at the nunciature in Zagreb to meet
with representatives of the Ministry of Culture, the Croatian Academy of
Sciences and Arts, the renowned literary institution Matrix Croatica, and
representatives of universities and other institutions of higher learning
and culture. In the Popes address he said that the Church respected
intellectual work as a fruit of the creation of the human spirit. He also
took the opportunity to express his respect for the rich cultural heritage
which belongs to the Croatian people and which bears witness to its old and
great sensibility for the good, the true and the beautiful.


1.e. POPES TRIP IN SPLIT

On Sunday the papal events moved to Split, making the citys 1700th
anniversary celebrations all the more special. The Pope held mass on Znjan,
visited the Split cathedral and later held a service with Croatian youth in
Solin before departing for Rome.


***

 BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA


2. ELECTIONS DEMONSTRATE THE PROGRESS OF B-H

The head of the OSCE mission, Robert Barry, said recent election results
demonstrated that Bosnia-Herzegovina had undertaken a significant step
forward in democratisation and pluralism. Barry added that it was
significant that the Croatian parties, HDZ B-H and NHI, had each won one
seat in the Republika Srpskas National Assembly and seats in several of
its municipalities. Similarly, the RS Social Democrats won two seats in the
assembly of Canton 10 or Tomislavgrad/Livno. The most important fact is
that no party in the Assembly has an overwhelming majority, meaning no
party has blocking power.

Adjustments were made as to who would take the parliamentary seats.
Specifically, the candidates list reflects the removal of the HDZ B-H
candidates, likewise adjustments were made due to the election rule
stipulating that at least three of the top 10 candidates must be female.
Similarly, military personnel were not permitted to hold elected office in
B-H, nor police officers in the RS. These candidates have been removed from
the lists as well.


3. INTERIOR MINISTRY IN HERZEG-NERETVA CANTON RESIGNS

The Minister of Interior Affairs for Herzeg-Neretva Canton, Valentin Coric,
immediately resigned from his post following the tragic events in Tasovic,
where one Bosniak-Muslim returnee was killed and three more injured Friday.
There is no comment from Coric, but the national Interior Affairs minister,
Mehmed Zilic, said that he asked for Corics resignation a year ago when
similar events happened. Zilic has met with Martin Garrod, the OHR regional
head, about increasing security in the canton.


***

EXCHANGE RATES: http://www.hic.hr/turizam/tecaj

WEATHER REPORT: http://www.hic.hr/turizam/prognoza

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Josipa Mudnic
Croatian Information Centre         Tel:   385 1 / 611 5116
Trg Stjepana Radica 3                     Ext:   36
10 000 Zagreb                                  Fax:   385 1 / 455 0700
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA       E-Mail:   josipa@hic.hr
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