CROATIA AND BOSNIAN FEDERATION SET UP JOINT COOPERATION COUNCIL

SARAJEVO, Jan 4 (Hina) - A joint council for cooperation between Croatia and the Bosnian Moslem-Croat Federation was established in Sarajevo on Thursday during talks between senior Croatian and Bosnian government delegations. The Croatian delegation was led by President Franjo Tudjman and the Bosnian delegation by President Alija Izetbegovic. Speaking to reporters after more than three hours of talks, the two presidents described the meeting as very successful. Tudjman said he was satisfied with the way in which the issues central to the implementation of the Washington and Dayton accords on the Federation had been discussed. "Substantial steps forward have been made. There is no more opposition but there are still problems to be solved," he said, adding that Croatian and Bosnian government officials would finalize agreements and enable their signing in the shortest possible time. Tudjman said that the joint cooperation council could hold its next session in a month although its statute stipulates that it will meet every three months. He added that an early council session was necessary to solve the remaining open issues as soon as possible. "I believe that we have opened a new page not only in the implementation of the Washington and Dayton accords but also in relations between the Croatian and Bosniac (Moslem) peoples," Tudjman said. Izetbegovic said that they had reached an agreement on cancelling visas for Bosnian citizens travelling to Croatia. The agreement would apply for the time being only to Federation citizens while the citizens of the Serb entity would be granted this right after the completion of elections due to take place on September 1. The two delegations also agreed to set up an ad hoc group to address open issues related to the status and use of the southern Croatian port of Ploce. The council decided at its first session to grant amnesty to all people who had taken part in the conflict between the Bosnian amry and the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) except to those indicted for war crimes under international law. It also raised a debate on freedom of movement and delimitation of counties. "It was at moments a loud and polemic but certainly a very useful meeting," Izetbegovic said. (hina) vm mm 041854 MET jan 96