SARAJEVO, April 13 (Hina) - The House of Representatives of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina's Parliament on Tuesday ratified an agreement on special relations between Croatia and the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, signed on
November 22 last year. The decision on the ratification of the agreement goes into effect on the day of its announcement in the federal Official Gazette. Before this decision was adopted, the lower house endorsed a decision according to which it will not be possible to sign annexes, which represent a crucial part of the agreement, on behalf of the BH Federation, without prior consent of the federal parliament. Although all aspects of the agreement have been discussed on several occasions, and the then Federation President Ejup Ganic requested that the parliament voice its opinion on the agreement before it is signed, today's discussion lasted more than four hours.
SARAJEVO, April 13 (Hina) - The House of Representatives of the
Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina's Parliament on Tuesday ratified
an agreement on special relations between Croatia and the
Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, signed on November 22 last
year.
The decision on the ratification of the agreement goes into effect
on the day of its announcement in the federal Official Gazette.
Before this decision was adopted, the lower house endorsed a
decision according to which it will not be possible to sign annexes,
which represent a crucial part of the agreement, on behalf of the BH
Federation, without prior consent of the federal parliament.
Although all aspects of the agreement have been discussed on
several occasions, and the then Federation President Ejup Ganic
requested that the parliament voice its opinion on the agreement
before it is signed, today's discussion lasted more than four
hours.
Most MPs from within the Bosniak people, who participated in the
discussion, voiced their earlier opposition to the cooperation
with Croatia as envisaged by the agreement.
A Party of Democratic Action (SDA) MP, Hasan Cengic, requested that
before establishing special relations, the Federation should
establish "normal" relations with Croatia. He voiced fear that the
agreement "revives the spirit of Washington and the year 1994",
which, according to him, poses a threat to the Dayton peace
agreement.
On behalf of a parliamentary body, MP Omer Behmen requested that
before adopting the agreement, Croatia should be presented with
additional requirements, such as the recognition of minority
status for Bosniaks living in Croatia.
Two representatives of the Liberal Party, which is one of an SDA-led
coalition, claimed that the agreement "favours Croatia" and should
therefore not be adopted.
A Croatian Democratic Union in Bosnia-Herzegovina (HDZ BiH) MP,
Mato Franjicevic, warned the agreement was a result of a compromise
between the interested parties and should be endorsed as such.
Deputy High Representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina Jacques Klein,
who attended the session, called on the Lower House to act in a
responsible manner and ratify the agreement.
This agreement considerably reduces the distance between Zagreb
and Sarajevo and marks the end of mutual suspicion and the beginning
of new trust, Klein said.
The agreement will secure new jobs in the Federation, strengthen
trade and facilitate Federation's integration into Europe. Those
who negotiated the agreement have done a good job, Klein
concluded.
(hina) jn rml