BH FEDERATION PREMIER ADVOCATES EQUAL RELATIONS WITH CROATIA

SARAJEVO, Apr 22 (Hina) - The Premier of Bosnia's Croat-Muslim Federation on Thursday told reporters in Sarajevo future Bosnian- Croatian economic relations would have to be established on equal foundations, based on reciprocity and mutual benefit. Premier Edhem Bicakcic said the enforcement of a Bosnian Presidency decision of two days ago to suspend an economic agreement with Croatia would ensue very soon. Concrete effects, i.e. higher customs earnings for the Bosnian Federation and Bosnia-Herzegovina may be expected early next month, Bicakcic added. He assessed the Bosnian Presidency decision as very useful and directed in the first place at preventing speculative transactions between Bosnia's two entities. Commenting on the discontinuation of a United States government- supervised equip and train programme for the federal army, Bicakcic said the programme had not been discontinued entirely. The programme is continued to be implemented in "some segments", he said. Without naming names, the federal premier said there existed forces which obstructed the establishment of a federal army and its training to be the guarantor of security in Bosnia together with NATO's Stabilisation Force. (hina) ha