PRESIDENT MESIC RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL MEDIATOR SCHWARTZ-SCHILLING

ZAGREB, March 6 (Hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic on Monday received international mediator for Bosnia-Herzegovina and Republika Srpska Christian Schwartz-Schilling. After the talks, the international mediator said he received support for his work in Bosnia-Herzegovina. President Mesic assured me he would support my activities and I can say that we will establish close cooperation", Schwartz-Schilling said. The international mediator stressed that him and President Mesic share an opinion on the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and added that relations between Zagreb and Bosnia-Herzegovina would change now. I have to say that I have visited Zagreb in the past and held talks, however, it did not help much, Schwartz-Schilling stressed. Extreme Bosnian Croats believed that with the help from Zagreb they would be able to form Croatia's satellite which would be financed by funds from Croatia, the international mediator said. He added that it was of extreme importance to build a law-based state and establish democracy, strengthen institutions and stop illegal activities. It is of extreme importance that Croats in Bosnia-Hercegovina realise that by the building of structures and institutions of a law-based state, they would be protected as citizens before those institutions, Schwartz-Schilling concluded. (hina) it mm