AFTER DELAYS AGREEMENTS' SIGNERS COMMITTED TO IMPLEMENTATION

ZAGREB, Nov 22 (Hina) - Signers of the agreement on special relations between Croatia and the Croat-Moslem Federation of Bosnia Herzegovina, and the agreement on the free passage through the southern Bosnian port of Neum for Croatia and the free use of the Croatian port of Ploce by Bosnia-Herzegovina, on Sunday committed to the consistent implementation of the agreements. "I wish to stress that the Republic of Croatia will consistently and objectively work on their implementation, in ways and by deadlines as set by the agreements," Croatian President Franjo Tudjman said after the signing. Their commitment to the agreements was also confirmed by members of the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina and officials of the Bosnian Federation. The agreement on special relations between Croatia and the Bosnian Federation, and the agreement on the ports of Ploce and Neum were signed in Zagreb on Sunday after two postponements in the past month due to reservations of the Bosniak (Moslem) side in the Bosnian Federation towards the agreement on special relations with Croatia. "The signing of the important agreement on the establishment of special relations between Croatia and the Bosnian Federation is an opportunity to reiterate that the Croatian state policy has always been conditional on ensuring the equality of the Croat people and their sustainability in Bosnia-Herzegovina, as well as on the protection of the strategic interests of the Republic of Croatia," Tudjman said. "The Croat people in Bosnia-Herzegovina, by giving consent to the Washington Agreement, have consented to the Federation, under the condition that it be connected with the Republic of Croatia, which has today been confirmed by the establishment of special relations in line with the Dayton peace agreement. Thus, this agreement and the agreement on Ploce and Neum are connected, and that is the reason for our persistent insisting that they be signed simultaneously". Tudjman said that the signing of these agreements represented "an important step forward in the implementation of the Washington and Dayton peace agreements in a way which confirms the basic principle of equality and sovereignty of all three peoples". Assessing that an equally important challenge was still ahead, meaning contextual and concrete regulations of these relations between Croatia and the Bosnian Federation, President Tudjman said: "I want to believe that delegations negotiating these issues will be politically authorised and professionally apt because of such goals". Deputy to the High International Representative in Bosnia- Herzegovina, Jacques Klein, described the signing of the agreements as "a new chapter in relations of Croatia and Bosnia- Herzegovina, and makes the distance between Zagreb and Sarajevo much shorter". "My hope is that these agreements mark a new beginning, a beginning of mutual trust," Klein said. "These agreements, if implemented, offer an opportunity to tear down the walls of suspicion and to build a transparent new structure, institutionalised cooperation". "To Bosnian Croats the special relations agreement offers comfort, security and a solid basis for greater confidence in the future. For Bosniaks it offers transparency and a hand of cooperation, and to Bosnian Serbs an example of how such an agreement might be concluded before long with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia," Klein stressed. The Bosniak member of the three-member Presidency of Bosnia- Herzegovina, Alija Izetbegovic, did not conceal his doubts about the signing of the agreement on special relations. "I did not follow the signing of the agreement on Ploce and Neum with the same feelings as the agreement on special relations," Izetbegovic said. Asked about reserves of the Bosniak public towards the agreement on special relations, Izetbegovic said "certain changes have been introduced, which improved this plan, this agreement (...) so that it has become acceptable and will be implemented in Bosnia". The Croat member of the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ante Jelavic, said the Croat people in Bosnia were "concerned with the conduct of the Bosniak side during the government and parliament procedures of adopting the agreement on special relations". "We believe that there will be no such conduct during the adoption of annexes to the agreement. Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina only ask for their guaranteed constitutional rights to be ensured," Jelavic said. Chairman of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency, Bosnian Serb Zivko Radisic, assessed that these agreements were "evidence that peace has taken on deep roots, that we have achieved noticeable results in the implementation of the Dayton peace agreement". President of the Bosnian federation, Ejup Ganic, said he would make an "effort for the agreements to go through the regular parliamentary procedure in the Bosnian Federation". Deputy President of the Bosnian Federation, Vladimir Soljic, described the agreements as "the biggest step towards peace since the Dayton Agreement". Before the signing, the Inter-State Council for Cooperation between Croatia and BH held its first session. The Council pointed out to the importance of resolving the borders issue, reaching a railroad transport agreement, the importance of road building, and assistance in transport connections. Also emphasised was the importance of fully reviving public corporations of BH, and resolving legal issues related to social insurance and trade. (hina) lml/ha jn