EU WELCOMES AGREEMENT ON PLOCE AND NEUM

( Editorial: --> 2734 ) VIENNA, Sept 24 (Hina) - The European Union on Wednesday welcomed the recently initialled agreement between Croatia and Bosnia- Herzegovina regarding the Ploce port and Neum. It also recognised this act as representing the significant efforts by Croatia and Bosnia to enter a new phase of mutual political and economic cooperation, the EU said in a statement issued in Austria's capital yesterday. Once the agreement has been signed Croatia will allow Bosnia free passage through its territory to the Ploce port as well as use of the port and Bosnia will enable free passage for Croatia to Neum, which divides the Dubrovnik region from the rest of Croatia. The EU believes that the agreement, which was reached after long negotiations, will be useful economically to both countries but also for the wider region. Politically, the agreement will contribute to the implementation of the Dayton Accord as well as to the improvement of relations between Croatia and Bosnia and, finally, towards strengthening peace and stability in the region, the EU added. At the same time, the EU thanked the Office of the High Representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina for its assistance during negotiations and the initialling of the agreement. The EU also expects that the agreement will be signed and take effect as soon as possible, as a further sign of both sides' determination to implement the Dayton Accord. The signing of the agreement initialled on September 10 will depend on the signing of an agreement on special relations between Croatia and the B-H Federation. (Hina) sp/rml 241320 MET sep 98