ECONOMIC REVIVAL IN BOSNIAN FEDERATION TO CONTINUE IN 1999: PREMIER

SARAJEVO, Dec 28 (Hina) - Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Edhem Bicakcic, on Monday said he supported the establishment of free trade zones with neighbouring countries, but under the condition that such a regime be established on the basis of full reciprocity. Bicakcic told a news conference in Sarajevo that the federal Government had, with the mediation of the Foreign Trade Ministry of Bosnia-Herzegovina, received a mooted agreement on economic cooperation as drafted by the Republic of Croatia, and would soon express its views on the content of the agreement. "The Government of the Bosnian Federation is discussing the proposal and our response is to be expected soon," Bicakcic said. He also announced that the Government would at the next session also express its opinion on the implementation of a decision on the beginning of payment of customs tariffs for goods imported from Croatia. Bicakcic said there was nothing contentious about this provision, because it had been reached on the request of the high International Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Carlos Westendorp, who has all the necessary authority to do so. Significant results in economic revival had been achieved in the past year, Bicakcic estimated. He announced that this would continue next year. The present average salary of DM324 will be increased by 20 per cent in the new year, and the physical amount of production by 25 per cent, Bicakcic announced. According to him, the German mark and the Croatian kuna should be fully withdrawn as means of payment in the Bosnian Federation by mid-1999. (hina) lml