Zagreb, April 7, 2000 (IKA) — The first meeting between the Government Commission for Relations with Religious Communities and representatives of the church and religious communities in the Republic of Croatia was held today, April 7, in Zagreb, according to the Public Relations Office of the Government of the Republic of Croatia. In addition to members of the Commission, led by its president Dr. Goran Granić, the Catholic Church was represented by Archbishop Antun Tamarut of Rijeka-Senj, the Serbian Orthodox Church by Metropolitan Jovan Pavlović of Zagreb-Ljubljana and all of Italy together with the Rev. Milenko Popović, the Jewish community by Dr. Ognjen Kraus, the Islamic community by the president of the Meshihat of the Islamic community in the Republic of Croatia, Ševko ef. Omerbašić; the Evangelical Church by Bishop Andreas Lukša, the Adventist Church by Dragutin Matak, the Evangelic Church by Dr. Petar Kuzmič, the Baptist Church by Dr. Branko Lovrec and the Reformed Christian Church by Bishop Endre Langh. Dr. Granić reported to the representatives of the churches and religious communities that the Government set up the Commission for Relations with Religious Communities with the goal of providing sufficient attention to this important matter and working together to solve problems. At the meeting, general topics were discussed. It was pointed out that it is necessary to respect the interests and differences among all the churches and religious communities. In the course of the discussion, Dr. Granić noted that the Croatian Government has the goal of establishing a civil society in which all the citizens feel safe and protected, regardless of religious confession or ethnic national affiliation. Indicating satisfaction at the speed with which the problems of the churches and religious communities have been addressed and saluting the establishment of the Government Commission, the participants expressed understanding of the complex economic and social conditions in the country. The representatives of the churches and religious communities presented problems they have encountered to Dr. Granić and the Commission members. It was agreed that for the next meeting the representatives of the churches and religious communities would prepare proposals concerning the main problems of the individual churches and religious communities and the priorities for addressing these problems.