ZAGREB, March 19 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic last night estimated that yesterday's meeting between a Croatian state delegation and a Yugoslav delegation in Geneva 'confirms progress that has been made in the process
of normalisation of relations'.
ZAGREB, March 19 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic
last night estimated that yesterday's meeting between a Croatian
state delegation and a Yugoslav delegation in Geneva 'confirms
progress that has been made in the process of normalisation of
relations'. #L#
In a phone interview broadcast last night on Croatian
television, Granic said that progress had been made as regards the
agreements reached in Zagreb as well as the ones relating to the
reintegration of eastern Slavonia, Baranja and western Srijem.
'As regards the main obstacle, the issue of Prevlaka, both
sides remained on their previous positions and the solution would
be sought in further negotiating, especially in Moscow', Granic
said, adding: 'We believe that the final solution will be found,
meaning that an agreement on normalisation of relations would be
signed and that it will respect Croatia's full territorial
integrity and sovereignty'.
Asked whether Milosevic's agreement that the port of Bar be
used for the delivery of freight for Bosnia-Herzegovina would have
a negative impact on the issue of Ploce port, Granic said that its
impact would be indirect, adding that the issue only confirmed the
importance of agreement between Croatia and the Federation of
Bosnia-Herzegovina on a customs-free zone in Ploce port. The
agreement would by no means endanger Croatia's territorial
integrity and sovereignty nor its demographic picture, Granic said,
adding the agreement was exclusively an economic one.
The Bosniac side negotiated with President Milosevic, asking
him that the Bar port be used not only for the delivery of freight
for the Bosnian Serb entity, but for the Federation as well.
Speaking about the meeting of the Croatian delegation with the
Federation delegation, Granic said that the representatives had
talked very openly about all problems - Sarajevo, Bugojno, cantons,
customs and taxes. Granic said he held that the talks had resulted
in some very important agreements, meaning that some essential
issues - cantonal establishment, customs and the functioning of the
Federation Government - would be solved in some ten days.
Commenting on a statement by the U.S. Secretary of State
Warren Christopher on revoking the overlapping of federal
government and the government of the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina
authorities, Granic said that both the Federation and the Croat
side had demanded this.
The meeting with Christopher was as very useful, Granic said.
'We discussed the implementation of peace agreements relating
to the Federation and all problems concerning the implementation of
those agreements. We also discussed the peaceful reintegration of
eastern Slavonia, Baranja and western Srijem. As regards the last
issue, there are no more doubts and we believe that the
reintegration would be successful'.
Asked about the stance of the United States towards
Milosevic's demand that the recognition be conditional on the issue
of the Prevlaka peninsula, Granic said the United States understood
Croatia's stance on not giving up Prevlaka.
Speaking about the part of the talks which tackled the
International War Crimes Tribunal, Granic said that General Tihomir
Blaskic had decided for himself that he would go The Hague by the
end of this moth because he believed he was innocent. Blaskic would
go to The Hague before the Croatian Parliament adopted a law on
cooperation with The Hague Tribunal, Granic said.
(hina) rm
191344 MET mar 96