CRO, BH, YUGO SIGN AGREEMENT ON STRUGGLE AGAINST ORGANISED CRIME

SARAJEVO, May 14 (Hina) - The Interior Ministers of Croatia, Yugoslavia, the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Republika Srpska signed an agreement on the struggle against organised crime and smuggling and trafficking of human beings in Sarajevo on Monday. The first agreement after the war in the former Yugoslavia, Ministers Sime Lucin, Zoran Zivkovic, Muhamed Besic and Perica Bundalo signed with the mediation of head of the United Nations Mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina Jacques Klein. Ambassador Klein said the document was very significant, adding all countries in the region would benefit from it. We will put political differences on a side, and police professionals will be able to strengthen efforts directed to the struggle against organised crime, Klein said. The Interior Ministers agreed to establish a special working group which will coordinate police operations at a regional level, which would be conducted after the ministerial agreement. Minister Lucin stressed that each country would continue to implement its laws. "The issue of organised crime cannot be solved on the level of a country, not even a region," Lucin said, stressing that all three countries had problems regarding illegal migrations, as well as illegal drugs and weapons trade. Yugoslav Minister Zivkovic stressed that after the deposing of Slobodan Milosevic and his party, his country wanted to become a normal state, adding that one of the fundamental tasks on this path was the struggle against organised crime. "We are aware that this cannot be realised without regional cooperation," Zivkovic told reporters. Lucin held separate talks with his Yugoslav counterpart Zivkovic and Federation's Minister Besic. According to him, talks were very useful, and most probably even better cooperation would be established, particularly in the prevention of people smuggling. According to the United Nations Mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina, at least 40,000 to 50,000 people travelled through Bosnia in 2000 in hope to reach the West. "We wish to establish an immediate communication in order to solve such problems efficiently," Lucin said. He expressed hope that a comprehensive agreement on the return of illegal migrants would be signed -- both with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Yugoslav governmental authorities. The agreement with the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina could be signed by late June, Lucin said, adding that the Republika Srpska governmental authorities expressed readiness to cooperate as well. (hina) it