SPECIAL RELATIONS WITH BH FEDERATION CONDITION ABOVE ALL - BAGO

( Editorial: --> 8804 ) ZAGREB, Oct 15 (Hina) - The agreements between Croatia and Bosnia- Herzegovina (BH) on Ploce and Neum and special relations between Croatia and the Croat-Muslim Federation of BH cannot be put on the same plane, but such a stereotype is evident, Croatian Ambassador to BH Darinko Bago told Voice of America on Thursday. The special relations are the condition above all conditions for Croats both in Croatia and in BH, especially in the BH Federation, the ambassador pointed out. He said that when the Washington peace agreement debated the creation of a Croat-Muslim federation it had been said that it was possible only on condition of confederative relations with Croatia. This was the precondition to even commence talks on such a federation, Bago stressed. The Croat-Muslim federation and a BH according to the Dayton peace agreement later defined these confederative relations as special relations between Croatia and the BH Federation. This is therefore a condition above conditions and requires special attention, a special treatment and a special outcome, Bago said. He added that BH's use of Ploce, a port in southern Croatia, and Croatia's undisturbed passage through Neum, BH's access to the Adriatic cutting through southernmost Croatia, were issues of interest for both Croatia and BH. It is a commercial issue with has more or less been resolved through U.S. assistance, Bago said. Croatia and BH initialled an agreement on Ploce and Neum. The ambassador said the quality of special relations between Croatia and the BH Federation would define the quality of all future agreements, including the one on Ploce and Neum. (hina) ha 152207 MET oct 98