GRANIC-SPECIAL RELATIONS STRENGTHEN CROATIA, LEGALISE AID FOR B-H

ZAGREB, Oct 28 (Hina) - An agreement on special relations between Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina strengthens the position of Croats in B-H and legalises aid to the Croatian Federation in B-H including military assistance said Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mate Granic in Zagreb on Wednesday. Croatia and the Federation on Tuesday initialled an agreement on special relations and Minister Granic today presented the text of the agreement to journalists. "This agreement is another additional guarantee for the existence and survival of Croats in B-H and especially in the Federation of B- H, it is another guarantee of their equality" Granic said. "This agreement also presents the legal framework for aid from Croatia for the Federation of B-H, and that which we are particularly interested in, aid for the Croats of B-H." The agreement on special relations establishes the legal framework for cooperation between Croatia and the Federation of B-H. It resolves problems such as financial matters and other forms of assistance to the Croatian component of the Federation army which the United States has suggested should be transparent. "How and in what way, will be resolved with a seperate annex however, the agreement makes this possible, legal and transparent", Granic said. "Founded on this, we will receive support from the international community and not pressure", he added. "Just by signing the agreement, this will be possible, which is something that was directly discussed with the United States and which they not only agreed with but fully supported", said Granic. The agreement covers all forms of cooperation between Croatia and the Federation B-H, from economic, military, legal and even with regard to health, tourim and information sharing. For each of these fields of cooperation it will be necessary to sign separate annexes which will more precisely determine the format and contents of cooperation. These annexes should be singed no later than July 1, 1999. Asked for guarantees that the annexes will indeed be adopted in that period, Granic responded that "each agreement is signed in good faith", while additional guarantees were represented by the signatures of the High Representative for B-H Jacques Klein and United States mediator Richard Sklar. Granic added that the US firmly stood behind the Agreement on Special Relations. The agreement provides for the establishment of a Joint Council for Cooperation and a Permanent Committee which will be responsible for recommendations and suggestions to institutions in Croatia and the Bosnian Federation, concerned with cooperation. The Council which will commence following the signing of the Agreement, will consist of a Croat president as well as a president and vice-president from the Bosnian Federation and recommendations shall be made upon a consensus being reached. It is expected that the Agreement shall be signed early November. At the same time, it is expected that an agreement on the use of the Ploce port by B-H will also be signed including free passage through territory within the Federation to the Adriatic coast (the Neum region). Until that time, earlier agreements will remain valid. "The Bosnian side was more interested in Ploce and Neum, while the Croat contingent was interested in special relations", said Croatia's foreign minister. Article 12 of the Agreement, which as sources relay, was especially insisted on by the Croat side, confirms that all vital issues will be resolved by a Croat and Bosnian consensus. According to Granic, the Croatian delegation was authorised to sign the agreement on Tuesday already, however the Bosnian delegation did not have this authority. Referring to the full legalisation of military aid to B-H, Granic said that before the final legal framework is set up it will be necessary to resolve the issue of aid from Islamic countries to the Muslim component of the Federation's army as well as Yugoslav military aid to the army in Republika Srpska. (Hina) sp jn