BOSNIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

SARAJEVO, Feb 16 (Hina) - Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic received Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic in Sarajevo on Friday. "We've talked about strengthening the Federation, overall relations between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia, European integrations, relations with third countries, and the setup of the town of Mostar," Granic told reporters after the talks. "We have agreed that all obstacles to efforts aimed at strengthening the Federation should be removed. This means ensuring full freedom of movement and religious and political freedoms in the entire territory of the Federation and fulfilling all provisions of the Washington and Dayton accords," he added. Granic said that the problem of Mostar was not discussed in detail and that the issue was left to be considered by the town's Croat and Moslem mayors, Mijo Brajkovic and Safet Orucevic. "We believe that certain modifications are necessary and that they will only amend (the proposal)," Granic said in response to a question on the position of the Croatian side on a proposal by Mostar's EU administrator Hans Koschnik for the administrative setup of the town. Izetbegovic said that his government strongly supported the Koschnik plan. "The plan itself is a compromise and we don't believe another compromise can be made. We think it's not possible at the moment," he said. Izetbegovic said that all issues in Mostar could be solved once freedom of movement was restored, religious and political activities were guaranteed, private property was protected, and people were enabled to return to their homes. (hina) vm jn 161523 MET feb 96