ZAGREB, Feb 13 (Hina) - Croatia's minister of maritime affairs, transport and communications hopes a Croatian-Bosnian dispute over the transit of oil and its products may be settled within the next two weeks. "I expect an agreement
may be reached in the next seven days, and another week would be needed for the beginning of its implementation," Minister Alojz Tusek said after meeting a Bosnian delegation headed by Foreign Trade Minister Azra Hadziahmetovic in Zagreb on Wednesday. "Today's meeting was the continuation of talks begun in Sarajevo. Both sides outlined the arguments which guided them in the passing of certain decisions related to the regime of the transport of oil and oil products, and offered certain counter-arguments to the decisions of the opposite side," said Tusek. He added, "It's clear that we couldn't take a final position today. The governments of the tw
ZAGREB, Feb 13 (Hina) - Croatia's minister of maritime affairs,
transport and communications hopes a Croatian-Bosnian dispute over
the transit of oil and its products may be settled within the next
two weeks.
"I expect an agreement may be reached in the next seven days, and
another week would be needed for the beginning of its
implementation," Minister Alojz Tusek said after meeting a Bosnian
delegation headed by Foreign Trade Minister Azra Hadziahmetovic in
Zagreb on Wednesday.
"Today's meeting was the continuation of talks begun in Sarajevo.
Both sides outlined the arguments which guided them in the passing
of certain decisions related to the regime of the transport of oil
and oil products, and offered certain counter-arguments to the
decisions of the opposite side," said Tusek.
He added, "It's clear that we couldn't take a final position today.
The governments of the two countries will be briefed about the
talks, which were of a purely expert nature, tomorrow. The Croatian
side regrets that things have come to this and we shall do
everything to resolve the problem to mutual satisfaction."
Minister Hadziahmetovic stressed Bosnia also was interested in
settling the issue of the transport of oil, its products, and other
hazardous matter as soon as possible, and in cooperation with the
Croatian government.
"It is in Bosnia and Herzegovina's interest, too, to establish
standards for the transport of high-tariff goods, to prevent abuse
and because of the quality of oil and oil products entering Bosnia,"
said Hadziahmetovic.
She added choosing which border crossings would be used for the
transport of oil and its products was important also due to its
"particular economic significance for Bosnia... as we wish all of
its parts to be equally able to be supplied with this strategic
energy source."
Today the two sides agreed to give precedence to alternative models
of oil transport, for example rail, oil pipelines, and waterways.
(hina) ha sb