SARAJEVO, May 20 (Hina) - Croatia, as a signatory to the Dayton Agreement, is consistent in its efforts for the document to be implemented fully, and requests the same from all other signatories, a minister at the Croatian Government,
in charge of relations with Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Bosnian Federation, Milan Kovac, said in Sarajevo on Thursday. After a three-day official visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina and a meeting with the Croat member of the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ante Jelavic Izetbegovic, Kovac told reporters Thursday Croatia not only had obligations it was constantly being reminded of, but also the right to supervise whether all sides were implementing their commitments and insist that they do. Kovac described his visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina as successful, adding he was satisfied with talks about a new trade agreement whose text should be harmonised by next month. He confirmed the first sessio
SARAJEVO, May 20 (Hina) - Croatia, as a signatory to the Dayton
Agreement, is consistent in its efforts for the document to be
implemented fully, and requests the same from all other
signatories, a minister at the Croatian Government, in charge of
relations with Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Bosnian Federation,
Milan Kovac, said in Sarajevo on Thursday.
After a three-day official visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina and a
meeting with the Croat member of the Presidency of Bosnia-
Herzegovina, Ante Jelavic Izetbegovic, Kovac told reporters
Thursday Croatia not only had obligations it was constantly being
reminded of, but also the right to supervise whether all sides were
implementing their commitments and insist that they do.
Kovac described his visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina as successful,
adding he was satisfied with talks about a new trade agreement whose
text should be harmonised by next month.
He confirmed the first session of the council for Cooperation
between Croatia and the Bosnian Federation would be held in Zagreb
on June 11, after which a the Inter-State Council for Cooperation
between Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina should hold a constitutive
session in Sarajevo in the second half of July or the beginning of
July.
Kovac described the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina as complex,
stressing NATO air strikes on Yugoslavia also influenced this.
The economic situation in some parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina, such as
the Bosnian Serb entity of Republika Srpska, has become critical,
as there are almost 30,000 people there without jobs due to the
current crisis, and in the whole of Bosnia-Herzegovina there
remains a large number of people dissatisfied with their social
status and earnings.
The international community, which is involved with the situation
in the country, is not displaying sufficient insight into problems
governing the country since 1918, which are "constant attempts of
majorisation, with majority communities are using all their forces
to attempt to overpower minority communities who, in turn, use all
their force to defend themselves from such attempts".
"When this is understood, I believe all problems burdening the
Dayton Bosnia-Herzegovina will be solved more quickly," Kovac
said, advocating open talks among all three constitutive peoples in
the country.
Jelavic said there was sufficient space to improve relations
between the two countries, especially in economy and the signing of
the new trade agreement.
He described Kovac's visit as a "significant turn" in the relations
between Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, as a number of open issues
are awaiting to be discussed, including the ratification of annexes
to the Agreement on Special relations between Croatia and the
Bosnian Federation.
Jelavic confirmed the first session of the Inter-State Council for
Cooperation between Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina could tackle
the issue of citizens of Bosnia-Herzegovina's right of voting in
Croatia, and overall economic relations.
(hina) lml