Josipovic was commenting in an interview with the public television network HTV on the SDAH's view of his recent interview with Reuters, in which he spoke of the possible impact of the ongoing conflict in Libya on the radicalisation of Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which SDAH leader Semso Tankovic compared with statements by Bosnian Serb wartime political leader Radovan Karazdic and Serbian Radical Party leader Vojislav Seselj, both of whom are on trial before the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague.

"In any case, what Mr Tankovic is saying is not what all Bosniaks here think, there are also different opinions. That kind of thinking is in a way an attempt at undermining the policy of reconciliation and even causing inter-ethic tensions. I am certain that such statements will not receive support in Croatia," Josipovic said.

He explained that when asked by the Reuters journalist whether the situation in Libya would lead to radicalisation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, he said that there are a lot of Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina, that they are pro-European and that we share the same values.

The SDAH issued a statement on Friday expressing outrage at Josipovic's "great concern over a possible rise of extremism" in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina which has a sizable Muslim population.

Josipovic said he was surprised at how his statement was interpreted, adding that he thought it was a misunderstanding. He repeated once again what he had said and meant in his interview: "The Muslims, Bosniaks in Bosnia and Herzegovina, are pro-European people with whom we will build together our European future."

Josipovic said that his policy of reconciliation was recognised in Bosnia and Herzegovina and that he did not expect that the neighbouring country would change its attitude towards Croatia. He added that he was in regular contact with Bosnian politicians "who understand well what happened."