AGREEMENT ON PLOCE IN STALE MATE DUE TO SPECIAL RELATIONS - PORGES

( Editorial: --> 8431 ) ZAGREB, Oct 14 (Hina) - The Agreement on the use of the Croatian port of Ploce by Bosnia-Herzegovina and free passage of Croatian citizens through the south Bosnian town of Neum (separating Croatia's southernmost part of Croatia with the rest of the country) has not yet been signed by Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, because Croatia and the Croat-Moslem Federation of Bosnia- Herzegovina have not yet signed an agreement on special relations, Croatian Economy Minister Nenad Porges told Hina on Thursday. In early September Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina initialled the agreement on the use of the port of Ploce and the passage through Neum, thus reaching the gate for a solution to issues they have been negotiating for years. Croatia has, however, set the signing of the agreement conditional upon the signing of the agreement on special relations between Croatia and the Bosnian Federation. The Croatian side expected the agreement to be signed after the coming out of results of the September general elections in Bosnia- Herzegovina, but the signing has been postponed for weeks. "The agreement is at a stand-still. Nothing has happened since the initialling of the agreement until now," Porges said. He said the main reason for this was that the agreement on special relations between Croatia and the Bosnian Federation has not been completed. Croatia insists on special relations with the Bosnian Federation, recalling the Dayton and Washington agreements, and wishing to protect the interests of Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina and its southern territory. "The agreement on the port of Ploce and Neum is possible only under the condition of a satisfactory solution to the agreement on special relations," Porges said- The agreement with the Bosnian Federation is at present too abstract to stipulate concretely in what manner the cooperation between Croatia and the Bosnian Federation in several fields, such as economy and military, will develop. "It is as yet not clear what in reality this cooperation should mean," he stressed. The United States are strongly supportive of the agreement on Ploce and Neum, and are primarily trying to ensure the exit of Bosnia's economy to the sea. The USA does not favour the special relations between Croatia and the Bosnian Federation, and views them as possible jeopardising of the sovereignty of Bosnia-Herzegovina, while the European Union claims that the special relations are not in accordance with the Dayton Agreement. Bosniaks (Moslems) are trying to achieve the agreement on Ploce, and minimalise the special relations between Croatia and the Bosnian Federation to a possible, but non-committing, cooperation. Porges held that there is a strong possibility that the agreement on special relations will be reached. "But, it takes two to tango," he stressed. A US special envoy, Richard Sclar, is expected to arrive in Croatia on October 23. Sclar was the mediator when the agreement on Ploce and Neum was initialled. Porges said he thinks Sclar is coming to Croatia to initiate the signing of the agreement on special relations between Croatia and the Bosnian Federation, not the agreement on Ploce and Neum. (hina) lml 141925 MET oct 98