ZAGREB, July 24 (Hina) - Croatian Premier Ivica Racan is to visit Sarajevo and Mostar on July 27 and 28 to confirm the new Croatia-Bosnia-Herzegovina relations as part of complying with obligations to the international community and
to incite the resolving of mutual issues, a government official said on Monday. Prime Minister Racan will head a delegation comprising Deputy Prime Minister Slavko Linic, Foreign Minister Tonino Picula, Defence Minister Jozo Rados, Veterans' Minister Ivica Pancic, and Deputy Economy Minister Neven Mimica, said government spokeswoman Aleksandra Kolaric. During the visit, two agreements will be signed, one on customs cooperation and another on readmittance, as well as a cooperation protocol between the two foreign ministries. The customs cooperation agreement will include both BH's entities, and not only the Croat-Muslim federation as before. The agreement's objective is to prevent s
ZAGREB, July 24 (Hina) - Croatian Premier Ivica Racan is to visit
Sarajevo and Mostar on July 27 and 28 to confirm the new Croatia-
Bosnia-Herzegovina relations as part of complying with obligations
to the international community and to incite the resolving of
mutual issues, a government official said on Monday.
Prime Minister Racan will head a delegation comprising Deputy Prime
Minister Slavko Linic, Foreign Minister Tonino Picula, Defence
Minister Jozo Rados, Veterans' Minister Ivica Pancic, and Deputy
Economy Minister Neven Mimica, said government spokeswoman
Aleksandra Kolaric.
During the visit, two agreements will be signed, one on customs
cooperation and another on readmittance, as well as a cooperation
protocol between the two foreign ministries.
The customs cooperation agreement will include both BH's entities,
and not only the Croat-Muslim federation as before. The agreement's
objective is to prevent smuggling and customs violations.
The agreement on readmittance, namely the turnover and admittance
of people, represents Croatia's attempt to resolve the issue of the
increasing number of illegal border crossings by persons from BH
headed for the West.
In the first six months of 1999, 7,526 persons illegally entered
Croatia, and 9,547 did so in this year's first six months. Croatia
has spent 1.8 million kuna to provide care for these people.
According to the agreement, Croatia will be able to return them to
BH, while BH's citizens will be able to temporarily enter Croatia
with identity cards.
Kolaric said BH's citizens would be able to enter Croatia with ID
cards during the tourist season, namely from July 27 until
September 30.
Under the agreement on cooperation between the two foreign
ministries, Croatia and BH will offer consular assistance in states
in which one of the two countries has no mission, as is Croatia's
case in Saudi Arabia, Libya, and Pakistan. Croatia's Diplomatic
Academy will educate diplomats for BH's needs.
The visit to Mostar will be the first on this high a level since the
change of authority in Croatia earlier this year. Kolaric said the
aim was to confirm Croatia's further care for Bosnian Croats in line
with the international obligations Croatia assumed and in keeping
with the implementation of the Dayton peace agreement.
Croatia and BH will also hold talks on advancing mutual relations in
the economy through trade liberalisation.
(hina) ha mm