TOWN COUNCIL REJECTS U.S. DRAFT AGREEMENT ON PLOCE PORT

PLOCE, Oct 6 (Hina) - Discussing a draft agreement on the use of Ploce port, devised by a U.S. arbitration commission, at a session held on Monday, Ploce Town Council unanimously rejected the draft agreement. The draft agreement was based on destroying Croatia's sovereignty in Ploce and would mean the disappearance of the Croat identity in the Neretva river valley and the town of Ploce, municipal officials said. #L# It is unacceptable that the area which is to have the status of a free zone be given to the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina and organised according to the Federation laws. The American and Bosnian sides know that both domestic and foreign companies can operate in Ploce port unobstructed, in line with Croatian laws, and there is neither economic nor political basis for allocating the free zone to the Federation, municipal representatives said. The Town Council also supports optimal business relations between the companies from both sides, but it rejects the possibility of production in the zone which is not under Croatian control. The Town Council also rejects the proposal on the appointment of members of the administrative council of Ploce port authorities by the Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina, especially condemning the establishment of a joint arbitration commission with foreign citizens as members having power to make final decisions. The signing of such an agreement would be estimated as an act of betrayal of national interests and therefore null and void, the Town Council members said. We are convinced that the Croatian government would, as always before, defend the principle of not ceding an inch of Croatian soil, which has been strongly advocated by President Franjo Tudjman, Ploce Town Council members said. (hina) rm 061817 MET oct 97