SARAJEVO MEETING OPENS DOOR TO TUDJMAN-IZETBEGOVIC MEETING

SARAJEVO, 6 June (Hina) - The Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic on Friday stated that agreement on a meeting between Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and Bosnia's President Alija Izetbegovic had been reached. In tonight's statement to reporters in Sarajevo, Granic said that the agreement was the result of today's successful meeting of highest Croatian and Bosniak officials in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which was chaired by Deputy High Representative Michael Steiner. 'The two presidents will meet in Croatia, this month', said Granic, who participated in the work of a Central European Initiative (CEI) conference which started in Sarajevo today. The exact date of Tudjman-Izetbegovic meeting would be announced later, Granic said, adding that today's meetings also tackled the opening of border crossings between Croatia and the Bosnian Serb entity. The beginning of construction of a bridge between Orasje and Zupanja and cooperation in power industry had been agreed on, Granic said. Today's talks also yielded a very important result - agreement on the establishment of joint police forces in Hercegovina-Neretva Canton. According to Granic, the agreement would enable the adoption of amendments to the constitutions of Hercegovina-Neretva and Sarajevo cantons. Today's agreement was accepted in the presence of Stabilisation Force (SFOR) chief commander, General William Crouch and the head of the U.N. Mission in Bosnia, Kai Eide, by the highest Croat and Bosniak officials, led by Izetbegovic, Kresimir Zubak, Vladimir Soljic and Edhem Bicakcic. According to the agreement, the establishment of joint police forces in Hercegovina-Neretva Canton will start in 16 June. The process of establishment of joint police forces should be completed by 5 July. All other police forces which are spotted in the area after the set date will be considered illegal. The joint police headquarters will temporarily be located in a building which once housed the former joint police force in Mostar central zone. The building will also house the offices of canton minister, assistant minister and police commanders. According to today's agreement, the assemblies of Sarajevo and Hercegovina-Neretva cantons will have to adopt the already adjusted constitutional amendments by 14 June. Deputy High Representative Michael Steiner told reporters that the agreement was very important and stressed that the Federation of Bosnia- Herzegovina had gained from it. There were no losers, he said. The agreement can be implemented and it suits both sides, Steiner said. (hina) rm mm 062307 MET jun 97