CROATIA PREPARING DOCUMENT ON SPECIAL RELATIONS WITH FEDERATION

( Vidi vijest: 5505 ) ZAGREB, 24 Oct (Hina) - The Croatian Government is preparing a document proposing ways of organising special relations between Croatia and the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, the head of the Government Communications Office, Neven Jurica, said Friday. On behalf of the Government, Jurica expressed satisfaction with the U.N. Security Council Presidential statement which positively evaluated the Croatian Government's initiative and efforts aimed at peacefully reintegrating the UN-administered Danube river region. Such a positive evaluation of Croatia's efforts encourages the Government to persevere in its efforts to ensure timely termination of the UNTAES mandate, Jurica said, reiterating the government's appeal to the media to continue contributing to the implementation of the program of restoration of inter-ethnic trust. Speaking about the state leadership's initiative to establish special relations with the Bosnian Croat-Moslem Federation, Jurica said the initiative had a strong foundation in a joint statement of the Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and Bosnian Presidency Chairman Alija Izetbegovic, signed at their meeting in Split in August this year. That initiative reflects the principled and consistent policy of protecting Croatian interests in the Federation as well as the interests of the Croatian state in relations with neighbouring Bosnia-Herzegovina, he said. Those relations were defined in the Washington agreement as confederate, while the Dayton agreement uses the term special relations, Jurica said. There can be no negotiations on Croatia's sovereignty but Croatia can and is willing to help find ways to make its links with the Federation, envisaged by the Washington and Dayton agreements, real and tangible, he said. With this effort Croatia shows and confirms its commitment to implementing the Dayton and Washington agreements concerning Bosnia-Herzegovina, but it also proves that it will not give up the protection of interests of Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Jurica said. (hina) jn rm 241548 MET oct 97