During his day-long visit to Mostar, Josipovic first held meetings at the Croatian consulate with officials of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZ BiH) and the HDZ 1990 which recently signed an agreement on their joint participation in the country's bodies of government and in talks on constitutional changes. After that, the Croatian head of state held a working dinner with Croat officials from several political parties, including representatives of the Social Democratic Party (SDP BiH).
"This (agreement between the two HDZ parties) is an important fact for the political life in Bosnia and Herzegovina and for the future, because we know that the task awaiting Bosnia and Herzegovina is the amendment of the constitution. What is important for Croatia is that the institutional equality of the Croat people in Bosnia and Herzegovina is ensured. How that will be achieved is a matter for the parties in Bosnia to decide," Josipovic told a news conference after his meetings in Mostar.
He said that he personally and Croatia would not arbitrate in that process and that he was encouraged by what he had heard.
For Croatia it is important that equality is ensured, he said, adding that possible support from Croatia to the proposal by the HDZ BiH and the HDZ 1990 for the establishment of four federal units in Bosnia, including a predominantly Croat unit, depended on agreement which he said "must primarily be supported in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that is crucial".
Asked about relations between Croatia and Bosnia, he said that Croatia and he personally wanted to be partners to Bosnia and that bilateral relations were on the ascending line.
Officials of the HDZ BiH and the HDZ 1990 said that they had backing from Croatia regarding constitutional changes.
"I am glad to see that today we received from the (Croatian) Prime Minister and the Croatian President unequivocal support for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Croatia's key interest is that Bosnia becomes as soon as possible a member of NATO and the European Union and not only to be given a liberalised visa regime. It is enough for us to hear from Croatia as well as from other friendly countries that Bosnia and Herzegovina should ensure constitutional equality for all the three peoples and for every citizen, and how that will be achieved depends on local political forces," HDZ BiH leader Dragan Covic said.
"Mr. Josipovic fully understands that our proposal on a federal unit with a Croat majority means the protection of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It also means the stability and the European path of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We are not doing anything to divide Bosnia, we are not creating a new Croatian statelet within the state," Covic said.
HDZ 1990 vice-president Martin Raguz said that the leading Croat political forces in Bosnia "are unanimous concerning the constitutional changes".
I hope that stereotypes about division among Croats and about Croats not knowing what they want will be removed, Raguz said, adding that they were trying to show this through the strengthening of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its integration into the EU and NATO.
As President Josipovic was strolling through the streets of this southern Bosnian city, local residents were approaching him to take photos with him.
After meeting the head of Mostar University, Josipovic gave a lecture for students and visited the local Franciscan monastery. In his lecture Josipovic said that Croatia's entry into the EU and cooperation with its neighbours were key goals in Croatia's foreign policy.
This was Josipovic's second visit to Mostar since he was inaugurated as the Croatian president.