The federation, consisting of 33 associations, advocates the return of Bosnian Croat refugees to their prewar homes and calls for the creation of conditions that would ensure equal status for the Croats in all areas of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Bosnian Croat representatives complained that the return process was slow, particularly in the Serb entity of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Republika Srpska, and that the international community was applying double standards to the detriment of the Croats.
They said that the structure of Bosnia-Herzegovina, laid by the 1995 Dayton peace agreement, should be changed and that the country should be reorganised on a cantonal basis. They asked President Mesic to use his position and authority in the international community to help improve the position of the Bosnian Croats.
Mesic said that the present, unacceptable position of the Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina was the consequence of mistakes and failures made by Croatia and Bosnian Croat leaders. He promised to bring attention to the position of the Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina in an appropriate manner and ensure that they had equal status in all parts of the country.
Mesic called on all Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina to make maximum efforts in order to change the conditions they live in.