TURKISH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER VISITS BOSNIA

( Editorial: --> 6788 ) SARAJEVO, Aug 29 (Hina) - The Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit has supported the implementation of the Dayton peace agreement and promised Turkey's full support and financial help to Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Turkish state official, who is on a two-day visit to Bosnia- Herzegovina, on Saturday met the Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic, the President of the Croat-Muslim Federation, Ejup Ganic, and a co-chairman of the Council of Ministers, Haris Silajdzic. After the talks, Ecevit told reporters that his government strongly supported the Dayton peace agreement despite all its shortcomings and considered it to be the only way of preserving the country's integrity. We believe that Bosniaks represent the foundation for the preservation of unity of Bosnia-Herzegovina because people in Republika Srpska still consider joining Yugoslavia and similar opinions probably exist among the Bosnian Croats as well, when it comes to their relations with Croatia, Ecevit said. However, Bosnia-Herzegovina cannot survive without the co- existence of all its peoples and its unity has to be a common goal, the Turkish official said. Ecevit expressed hope that the forthcoming elections in the country would contribute to strengthening those forces which work on overcoming dissociation attempts. Turkey is soon to give US 10 million of non-repayable reconstruction aid it promised Bosnia-Herzegovina at a donors conference in 1996, Ecevit said. Turkey has also granted an additional four million dollars to the national air carrier "Air Bosna", to be used for the purchase of planes. The Turkish government has announced investments into the Zenica ironworks. According to Ecevit, the government in Ankara could also adopt a decision on duty-free import of vehicles from a Volkswagen plant in the Sarajevo suburb of Vogosca. (hina) rml 291500 MET aug 98