FUND FOR RECONSTRUCTION OF MOSTAR OLD BRIDGE SET UP BY BOSNIAN,TUR

BOSNIAN,TUR $ KISH PRESIDENTS MOSTAR, June 18 (Hina) - Presidents of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Turkey, Alija Izetbegovic and Suleyman Demirel respectively, on Tuesday signed a joint statement on the reconstruction of the Mostar Old Bridge and the historical centre of the city. According to the statement, a Fund for the Reconstruction of the Old Bridge and the Old Part of the City was set up in Mostar. The reconstruction is to begin today. A special account has been opened specially for the reconstruction and according to Demirel, the Turkish government will be the first to donate money specifically for this purpose. The Old Bridge was a famous stone bridge connecting the two parts of Mostar across the Neretva river. It was built in 1566 and was destroyed during conflicts between the Croatian Defense Council and the Bosnian army in 1993. Young men from Mostar celebrated the decision to reconstruct this cultural and historical monument in an old tradition, that is by jumping in the river from the remains of the bridge, a custom which used to be a tourist attraction before the war. Demirel today also opened a Turkish consulate in eastern Mostar. (hina) ha mm 181823 MET jun 96