SOUTH CROATIAN AND BOSNIAN LOCAL AUTHORITIES HOLD MEETING

DUBROVNIK, Oct 12 (Hina) - A meting was held by authorities of Croatia's three Dalmatian counties: Dubrovnik-Neretva, Split- Dalmatia and Sibenik-Knin, and of three cantons from Bosnia- Herzegovina's Croat-Moslem Federation: Herzegovina-Neretva, Western Herzegovina and Herzeg-Bosnian. Tuesday's session was held in the Croatian famous coastal town of Dubrovnik. The purpose of the session was to initiate economic cooperation in these areas, with the support of Croatia's and Bosnia- Herzegovina's Governments, said Dubrovnik-Neretva County Prefect, Ivan Sprlje. Those local authorities concluded that it was necessary to regulate a system of cross-border traffic and trade as well as trade in general between these two neighbouring countries. They also suggested that it would be good to accelerate the signing of a Trade Contract between the Croatian Government and Bosnia's Ministerial Council. At the Dubrovnik meeting, they discussed the protection of water, particularly of the Neretva River and Malostonski Bay near the peninsula of Peljesac, south Croatia, and the construction of roads and railway lines. They also expect the World Bank's assistance in such projects. A Bosnian representative, Jago Lasic, said this year's cancellation of the trade agreement between the two countries would reduce the trade by 220 million dollars. (hina) jn ms