DELAY IN RATIFICATION DOESN'T BRING AGREEMENT INTO QUESTION

SARAJEVO, Feb 25 (Hina) - The postponement of the ratification of the Agreement on Special Relations between Bosnia-Herzegovina's Federation and the Republic of Croatia is disappointing, but it would not bring the document into question, said a spokesman for the Office of the High Representative (OHR) to Bosnia-Herzegovina, in Sarajevo on Thursday. The Croat-Moslem Bosnian federal parliament's two houses refused to accept the motion on discussion of the special relations agreement on the agenda of sessions held on Wednesday. There is no provision in the Agreement which would call into question the deal in case that some deadline might not been met, the spokesman James Ferguson said. The OHR has commenced consultations with the interested parties to make clear what their requirements are in connection with the ratification of the treaty with Croatia. Bosniak (Moslem) MPs in the House of Representatives and the House of Nations of the federal parliament turned down a possibility of ratifying the agreement on special relations with Croatia until Bosnia's Parliament assessed whether the document was in conformity with the Government, sovereignty, and the territorial integrity of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ferguson added that from the viewpoint of the OHR, it will be enough that the federal bodies ratify the deal, but in case that the federal parliament decides otherwise, this would be a decision we should respect, he said. (hina) jn ms