$ ZAGREB, Sept 22 (Hina) - Croatia and Turkey will continue their cooperation in strengthening peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina and establishing the Croato-Moslem Federation through the implementation of the Dayton and Washington
agreements, and to strengthen relations between the two countries, Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and Turkish President Suleyman Demirel said in Zagreb on Monday.
RELATIONS
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ZAGREB, Sept 22 (Hina) - Croatia and Turkey will continue their
cooperation in strengthening peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina and
establishing the Croato-Moslem Federation through the
implementation of the Dayton and Washington agreements, and to
strengthen relations between the two countries, Croatian
President Franjo Tudjman and Turkish President Suleyman Demirel
said in Zagreb on Monday. #L#
Demirel arrived in Zagreb for a three-day official visit to
Croatia.
Tudjman and Demirel held talks behind closed doors, after
which a Croatian and a Turkish delegation led by presidents
Tudjman and Demirel conducted talks about bilateral relations,
the reintegration of the Croatian Danubian area, implementation
of the Washington and Dayton agreements, breathing life into the
Bosnian Federation and the relation between the two countries and
Euro-Atlantic integrations.
After the talks, the Turkish State Minister Isin Celebi and
Croatian Finance Minister Borislav Skegro signed an agreement on
avoiding double taxation, after which the two presidents gave
statements for the press.
Tudjman told reporters that this meeting once again
confirmed that there were "friendly, very stable and developed
relations" between Croatia and Turkey.
Both presidents said they expected Croatia and Turkey to
deepen and expand relations on the political, economic, cultural
and other spheres.
Tudjman said that during the talks, he had informed Demirel
and the Turkish delegation about the process of peaceful
reintegration of the Croatian Danube river region, which was
coming to a close.
Tudjman said that Croatia "opposed any attempts of
extending the UNTAES mandate."
"Croatia cannot agree to any kind of extension of that
mandate," Tudjman said.
"I relayed Croatia's determination and commitment to
cooperate with European countries, primarily with CEFTA member-
countries, with the aspiration to join the EU, and Croatia's
determination to develop friendly relations with the United
States as the leading world power.
However, I also informed President Demirel that Croatia
opposed unprincipled pressures on it regarding problems of
solving the reintegration of the Danubian area or regarding the
cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, or regarding the problems of
solving the crisis in Bosnia-Herzegovina, because Croatia had
been and remained a constructive factor in the resolution of all
these issues, Tudjman said."
Croatia is determined in the implementation and
consolidation of the Bosnian Federation, and in its as close as
possible connection with Croatia, Tudjman reiterated.
"Croatia is interested in the elimination of distrust
between the Croat and Bosniac peoples and will use all its
influence to render the distrust surpassable as soon as possible,
and to create conditions for harmonious life," he said.
He added that Croatia would do everything to remove the
obstacles in the way of establishment of the Bosnian Federation,
trust, and especially to prevent terrorist attacks. There have
been such attacks recently on the part of both sides, but,
unfortunately, more on the part of none side in Sarajevo,
Bugojno, and this last incident in Mostar, which jeopardise the
survival of Croat people in these areas and which create a
serious obstruction to the normalisation of relations and the
implementation of the Washington and Dayton agreements, Tudjman
said.
Demirel said that all sides in Bosnia had to fulfil their
obligations from the Dayton Agreement.
"This is expected by Turkey and the international
community," he added.
Demirel said Turkey provided full support to Croatia's
efforts in the reintegration of the Croatian Danubian area.
Turkey also supported Croatia's efforts in the
international community, Demirel said, stressing he was certain
"that Croatia will assume its position in Europe which is being
formed".
Demirel stressed his country provided support to Croatia's
efforts to enter the Partnership for Peace programme.
Applauding the signing of the agreement on avoiding double
taxation, Demirel said that an agreement on free trade should be
signed between the two countries in the future.
He invited Tudjman to visit Turkey.
(hina) lm jn
222325 MET sep 97