ZAGREB, Oct 4 (Hina) - Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday harmonised an agreement on free trade, which should be signed by the end of next month.
ZAGREB, Oct 4 (Hina) - Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday
harmonised an agreement on free trade, which should be signed by the
end of next month.#L#
"I believe that all problems have been settled which were related to
the free trade treaty," said Alija Izetbegovic, the chairman of
Bosnia's three-man Presidency, after today's meeting of the two
countries' inter-state council on the cooperation in Zagreb.
Under the contract, as of 1 January 2001 Croatia will exempt all
Bosnia's exports from customs tariffs, while Bosnia will gradually
rescind tariffs on Croatian goods in next three years.
Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said the agreement would be signed
before the Zagreb summit of EU statesmen and heads of state from the
western Balkans.
During today's two-hour meeting the inter-state council for
cooperation discussed many problems which encumbered the relations
between the two neighbours.
"We have resolved much and defined guidelines for the further
cooperation," Izetbegovic told a press conference he and Mesic held
together.
Croatian president expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the
meeting and, in particular, with the cooperation through this
council which made it possible for Zagreb and Sarajevo to settle
open issues - ranging from roads and transport, property issues,
the problem of refugees and travel visas.
"We have settled a series of questions from the treaty on property
and legal issues, agreed on the settlement of issues of the
ownership on the principle of reciprocity, tax issues and launched
an initiative to solve a problem of deposits with banks,"
Izetbegovic told reporters.
Participants in the Zagreb meeting agreed on forming an inter-state
commission in charge of the return of refugees.
They commented on ratification of an agreement on the Croatian port
of Ploce and Bosnia-Herzegovina's coastal town of Neum. This deal
has already been ratified by the Bosnian parliament, while it is now
waiting for the Sabor to do so.
Under that deal, Croatian authorities make it possible for Bosnian
side to have a free passage towards the port of Ploce, while Bosnia
enables Croatia to have an unimpeded passage over Bosnian territory
through a 10-kilometre stretch in Neum.
Izetbegovic said that during "the constructive meeting and in a
friendly and cordial atmosphere" they had agreed on the set-up of
joint teams for the construction of roads and the direction 5C from
Budapest to Ploce. They also considered the re-opening of the
Zagreb-Split railway line (called 'Unska Pruga') which passes
partly through Bosnia territory in the valley of the Una river, and
Izetbegovic voiced dissatisfaction that the re-opening had not
previously been done.
"I have been told that there were no problems as regards Croatia and
this means that the problem lies with the Bosnian side and we must
see who is obstructing attempts to re-open Unska Railway,"
Izetbegovic added.
After the meeting the two presidents signed a contract on social
insurance.
(hina) ms