SARAJEVO MEDIA: SPECIAL RELATIONS DEAL MAY BE AGAIN PUT IN QUESTION

SARAJEVO, April 16 (Hina) - An agreement on the special relations between Croatia and the (Croat-Moslem) Federation of Bosnia- Herzegovina could be again brought in question when the document should be adopted by the House of Nations of the Federal Parliament, the Sarajevo media said on Friday. Commenting on the discussion held by the Federal Parliament's House of Representatives prior to Tuesday' ratification of the agreement, Sarajevo-based dailies warned today that problems might crop up due to another decision endorsed by the lower house before the ratification, according to which it will not be possible to sign annexes, which represent a crucial part of the treaty, on behalf of the Bosnian Federation without prior consent of the federal parliament. Kasim Trnka, an advisor to Alija Izetbegovic the Moslem member of Bosnia-Herzegovina's three-man Presidency, was quoted by the "Oslobodjenje" daily as saying that the Croat and Moslem (Bosniak) sides had different approaches to this issue. According to Trnka, who took an active part in negotiations on the special relations agreement, the annexes just as the treaty itself are an international act which must pass through the parliament and the Moslem party acquainted Croatia's negotiators with the stand. He added that Croats maintained that there was no need for annexes to be forwarded to MPs after the Parliament ratifies the agreement. According to Trnka, it is now up to the upper house to decide on the matter. In case the House of Nations opts for the same procedure, demanded by the House of Representatives, there will be no problems, Trnka thought. The "Dnevni Avaz", close to the ruling Moslem structures, ascribed the entire responsibility for the fate of the agreement to the Croat deputies in the federal parliament, particularly in the House of Nations. The secretary of the House of Representatives, Mile Kudic, said that reaching such a decision as the one about the consent of the Parliament as the condition for adoption of the annexes is not only superfluous but in some parts contrary to the Federal Constitution. However, this opinion of the legal expert was not accepted. The Croatian party has so far offered to the Federation 12 draft annexes covering many issues. Trnka voiced doubt whether all of them might be acceptable, since some of them are in not in the jurisdiction of the entity, but in the state of Bosnia-Herzegovina, he expressed his stand. The House of Nations is expected to be in sitting next week. (hina) ms