SPECIAL RELATIONS BETWEEN CRO & BH FEDERATION CLOSE TO AGREEMENT

( Editorial: --> 8101 ) SARAJEVO, April 20 (Hina) - The Croatian President's special envoy for relations with Bosnia-Herzegovina, Franjo Greguric, judged Monday's talks in Sarajevo with the highest Bosnian officials as very useful. Greguric also separately met with chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Alija Izetbegovic, member of the Presidency Kresimir Zubak, President and Vice-President of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ejup Ganic and Vladimir Soljic, as well as Deputy High Representative Hanns Schumacher. "In the area of economic cooperation we have achieved great progress," Greguric told journalists following the talks. He said there was also word of establishing rail traffic. Commenting on negotiations for special relations between Croatia and the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Greguric said that the offered agreement is "absolutely acceptable" and it is no longer being questioned by anybody. "It has been worked out to such a degree that it only requires a small effort to make it acceptable to both sides," said Greguric. President Tudjman's special envoy said the Bosnian side was also offered a draft agreement for the establishment of a consortium for the construction of motorways with offices in Sarajevo and Zagreb. The Sarajevo office will be in charge of the route from the Croatian port of Ploce across Sarajevo to the eastern Croatian city of Osijek, while the Zagreb-Dubrovnik route will be supervised from Zagreb. The two sides were at odds only in negotiations for the establishment of a free zone in the Ploce port, said Greguric. "I think that is also progressing well and I believe that when the partners agree on the issue, it will be debated by the Council for Cooperation between Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina," mused Greguric. Ganic said the Ploce solution should be based on the Washington Agreement, and that the Bosniak side wishes a stable and long-lasting cooperation with Croatia. Possibilities for further strengthening of that cooperation are being opened by the forthcoming privatisation which companies from both countries should take advantage of by buying shares and participating in the distribution of profits, mused Ganic. Soljic said that both countries are equally interested in the development of economic cooperation. Agricultural and industrial complexes in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina are naturally dependent on one another and actually form a common market, said Soljic. (hina) jn mrb/as 201652 MET apr 98