MESIC: DECLARATION OF SELF-GOVERNEMENT CAN ONLY DO HARM TO BOSNIAN CROATS

ZAGREB, March 5 (Hina) - The decision of the Croat National Assembly to establish its own bodies of self-government is an attempt to deal with issues by by-passing state institutions, which can only do harm to the Bosnia-Herzegovina Croats, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said in Zagreb on Monday. "It is my opinion that all issues in Bosnia-Herzegovina must be implemented and solved through the institutions of Bosnia- Herzegovina and the (Croat-Muslim) Federation. This non- institutional dealing with issues, or rather attempts to deal with them, can only be to the detriment of Croats throughout Bosnia," Mesic said answering reporters' questions at the opening of the Days of Entrepreneurs. Asked about possible harmful consequences of such a decision for Croatia, Mesic said fomenting tensions could only do harm to both states, in politics and economy alike. "Our economies are compatible and we want their resources to activate and they can activate only if (Bosnia-Herzegovina) is a zone of safety too," Mesic said. Declaring self-government is in contravention of the Dayton Agreement and Croatia, as a signatory to the agreement, cannot support it, Mesic said. The Days of Entrepreneurs, an event organised by the Croatian Employers' Association at Zagreb's Intercontinental hotel, gathered some 400 business people. Attending the conference, along with President Mesic, were First Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic and Croatia's chief negotiator with the European Union, Neven Mimica. (hina) rml