CROATIAN-BOSNIAN DISPUTE ON PLOCE PORT IS NOT SOLVED

SARAJEVO, March 14 (Hina) - The Bosnia-Herzegovina Council of Ministers did not pass a decision on amendments to an agreement with Croatia on the status of the southern Croatian port of Ploce, Bosnian Foreign Trade Minister Azra Hadziahmetovic. After a recent visit of the chairman of the Bosnian Council of Minister, Zlatko Lagumdzija, to Croatia, media speculated that Bosnia agreed to amend the agreement with Croatia. "I was against the opening of the issue of amending Article 9, which is contentious for Croatia, because it weakens Bosnia's position. I still believe that, in order to maintain good-neighbourly relations, Croatia should first ratify this agreement in the parliament, Hadziahmetovic told Sarajevo daily "Dnevni Avaz". According to Article 9, which is contentious for Croatia, the head of the Ploce port management board would be a foreigner, who would the arbiter in a case of a dispute. After the talks between the two Prime Ministers, Ivica Racan and Lagumdzija, everything indicated that the problem was solved and that Bosnia agreed to amend the agreement before the ratification in the Croatian parliament. (hina) it