SARAJEVO, Nov 11 (Hina) - The head of the Bosnia-Herzegovina +negotiation team, Kasim Trnka, on Wednesday said the date for the +signing of the agreement on special relations between Croatia and +the Federation of BH, had not been
set.+ In a statement to Radio BiH, Trnka confirmed that two dates, +November 16 and 19, had been suggested, however, he said that by +Wednesday afternoon he had not been informed about a set date.+ "It is intended to hold the first meeting of the Inter-State Council +for Cooperation, and in order for it to have a realistic content, it +was agreed that the agreement on Bosnia-Herzegovina's access to the +Adriatic and passage through Neum for Croatia, be signed at that +meeting. The agreement was initialled and agreed to long ago, +however, Croatia insists that the agreement on special relations +between the Federation of B-H and the Republic of Croatia be signed +a
SARAJEVO, Nov 11 (Hina) - The head of the Bosnia-Herzegovina
negotiation team, Kasim Trnka, on Wednesday said the date for the
signing of the agreement on special relations between Croatia and
the Federation of BH, had not been set.
In a statement to Radio BiH, Trnka confirmed that two dates,
November 16 and 19, had been suggested, however, he said that by
Wednesday afternoon he had not been informed about a set date.
"It is intended to hold the first meeting of the Inter-State Council
for Cooperation, and in order for it to have a realistic content, it
was agreed that the agreement on Bosnia-Herzegovina's access to the
Adriatic and passage through Neum for Croatia, be signed at that
meeting. The agreement was initialled and agreed to long ago,
however, Croatia insists that the agreement on special relations
between the Federation of B-H and the Republic of Croatia be signed
at the same time," Trnka said .
He reminded that the final text of the agreement was drafted with
the mediation of the United States, but the Government of the
Federation of BH on Friday suggested certain changes.
Mediation in any possible amendments - mostly of a technical nature
- has been assumed by the Office of the High Representative in
Bosnia-Herzegovina, while the Bosnian Presidency has delegated the
Foreign Ministry to find an agreement with the Croatian Foreign
Ministry on a new date of signing.
According to Trnka, Ejup Ganic, who is to be the signatory on behalf
of the Federation of BH has suggested that further "technical touch
ups" are required.
Trnka further reminded that even after the agreement is signed it
will need to be ratified by the Bosnian Federation Parliament and
then by the parliament at the State level.
"Special parallel relations are an obligation set forth by the
Dayton Agreement which cannot be bypassed, and I believe that it
does not harm BH's authority nor sovereignty", he said.
Trnka expressed regret that the media in the Bosnian Federation did
not publish the integral version of the text of the agreement, so
the public did not have the chance to be properly informed on its
contents, he said.
(hina) sp/lml