KLEIN RESUMES NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN CROATIAN AND MUSLIM SIDES

SARAJEVO, Nov 17 (Hina) - The deputy international high representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina (BH) resumed contacts with the Croat and Bosnian Muslim sides with the aim to ensure the signing of a special relations agreement between Croatia and the Federation of BH as soon as possible. We expect the agreement will be signed, as it represents a frame document setting the legal basis for annexes which should determine concrete aspects of cooperation, the spokesman of the high representative's Office in Sarajevo, Rid Attarashany, said on Tuesday. The special relations agreement was supposed to be signed in Zagreb on Monday, but the Bosnian Muslim side failed to appear. Attarashany said the high representative's Office believed federal President Ejup Ganic had called for a federal parliament session to discuss the agreement in the wake of the public pressure he had been subjected to. Ganic was obviously trying to share responsibility, the spokesman said, adding it was evident that conflicts among various factions within the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), the leading Bosnian Muslim party, had significantly influenced the whole story. Klein was now trying to influence responsible people in an attempt to convince them it was irresponsible to put personal interests in front of the interests of all people living in BH, said Attarashany. He added Klein was working towards scheduling a new date for the signing of the special relations agreement as soon as possible. Attarashany confirmed the international community believed the special relations agreement, and another one between Croatia and BH, on the status of the ports of Ploce and Neum, should be signed simultaneously. (hina) ha/sp