NEGOTIATIONS IN MOSTAR TO CONTINUE ON MONDAY

MOSTAR, Aug 5 (Hina) - "We were ready to sign the offered text of the agreement by the European Union, but the Moslem side was not," president of the Mostar branch of the Bosnian Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) Mile Puljic said after several-hour talks on Sunday night. #L# Negotiations between the Croat and Moslem sides about the extension of the EU mandate in Mostar had begun and continued at the initiative of all interested sides, EU Administration spokesman Dragan Gasic said. The goal of the talks was finding a resolution acceptable to all sides, so that the new European Union mandate in Mostar could take effect, under the name of "Joint Action". Head of the Moslem negotiating delegation and Mayor of the eastern part of Mostar Safet Orucevic said that the EU had offered a new compromise which differed from the one offered the day before. So, nothing had been signed, Orucevic said, adding that all would be known later on Monday. One more disputable issue remained, which was the functioning of the Mostar City Council, he said. The Croat side suggested that a session of the City Council take place at which the Mostar mayor would be nominated, after which the City Council would not hold sessions until the Bosnian Federation Constitutional Court reached a ruling on a suit filed by the Mostar HDZ as regards irregularities in the June elections. The Moslem side asked that a deadline be set for the Constitutional Court to reach a decision and that the City Council hold sessions at least every 60 days, as had been set in the Transitional Statute. Orucevic added that the Moslem side, as well as the Croat side, had stressed that it was in their interest for the European Union to remain in Mostar and that Sir Martin Garrod, nominated as special EU envoy, take up office, as well as that the mayor and deputy mayor of Mostar be nominated. (hina) lm 051104 MET aug 96