( Editorial: --> 6205 )
MOSTAR, July 7 (Hina) - Mostar's Ortijes airport was officially
opened for civil air traffic on Tuesday, following a six-year
break.
The airport, which was heavily damaged during the war, was opened by
the international community's High Representative for Bosnia-
Herzegovina, Carlos Westendorp, and Mostar's mayor and deputy
mayor, Safet Orucevic and Ivan Prskalo.
The first plane to land at the newly-opened airport was a Croatia
Airlines aircraft, with those onboard for the occasion including
the Croatian national carrier's managing director Ivan Misetic,
the Croatian President's advisors Ivic Pasalic and Franjo
Greguric, Croatian Democratic Union secretary-general Ivan Valent
and Croatia's Ambassador to BH Darinko Bago.
Several minutes later an aircraft from state carrier Air Bosna
landed, with those arriving from Sarajevo including the Croat
member of the Bosnian Presidency, Kresimir Zubak, and his New Croat
Initiative party colleague Ivo Lozancic.
High Representative Westendorp said many political obstacles had
to be overcome before the opening of the airport.
He expressed hope that the opening of the airport would bring about
unity in the Mostar city administration. The facility will be run by
a joint administration, he said.
In a recent arbitration decision on the composition of the
airport's management board, Westendorp chose three Croats, three
Bosniaks (Muslims) and one international representative who would
be its chairman.
United States President Bill Clinton's special envoy Robert
Gelbard emphasised today's opening of the airport was important for
both Mostar and BH.
He said all sides in Bosnia should overcome their narrow interests
and work for the good of the whole community.
We will help only those who are prepared to implement the Dayton
agreement, that is the return of refugees, joint police and
economic revival, Gelbard warned.
He added he would oppose any attempts to revise the Dayton agreement
as a way of preventing its implementation, as well as ideas on
division.
Also present at the opening of the airport was Croat-Muslim
Federation of BH President Ejup Ganic and Serbian Orthodox Church
representative Atanasije Jevtic.
The opening included a spectacular display of parachute jumping
from an SFOR helicopter.
The first return commercial flight by Croatian Airlines on the
Zagreb-Mostar route is expected on July 14.
(Hina) mbr jn /ha
071813 MET jul 98
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