GENEVA, Aug 14 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman described today's talks on the implementation of the Dayton peace agreement as very important for the forthcoming elections in Bosnia- Herzegovina.
GENEVA, Aug 14 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman described
today's talks on the implementation of the Dayton peace agreement
as very important for the forthcoming elections in Bosnia-
Herzegovina. #L#
President Tudjman and Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic on
Wednesday signed a joint statement on the transfer of authority
from institutions of the Croat Republic of Herceg-Bosna and the
Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina to the Federation of Bosnia-
Herzegovina. President Tudjman said the document had been signed
after 'a long and open discussion with the Bosniac-Muslim side
which revealed many different approaches as well as internal
disagreement'.
The forthcoming elections in Bosnia were of great importance
for the establishment of new authorities which would be in
accordance with the Dayton and Washington peace agreements, Tudjman
said, expressing support for the two agreements.
As regards the extradition of war criminals, President Tudjman
said the international factors should be far more objective.
'One cannot demand cooperation only from Croatia and not the
other sides as well', Tudjman warned, adding Croatia abided by its
constitutional and legal norms.
Asked whether pressure had been exerted on the Croatian
delegation, Tudjman said that Croatia's constructive role had been
stressed at all meetings.
Croatia was ready to continue contributing to the resolution
of the crisis, but it would not give up the crucial national and
state interests of the Croat people in general.
The extension of UNTAES mandate for another year or six months
was out of question, Tudjman said. The organisation of elections in
eastern Slavonia could not be a problem if it was expected that
Bosnian elections, which would be held in much more difficult
circumstances, would be successful.
Croatia could not accept the joint financing of the UNTAES
because it had 80,000 displaced persons who could not return to
their homes, the Croatian President said.
Today's meeting with Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic had
been very brief, Tudjman said, adding there had been no changes in
the stands of the two sides since the Athens meeting.
It was confirmed during the meeting that the foreign ministers
of Croatia and Serbia would meet on 23 August in Belgrade. Until
that date, an agreement on the normalisation of relations,
including the immediate establishment of diplomatic relations
between the two countries, should be agreed on.
An expert group from Belgrade should arrive in Zagreb before
23 August, with the aim of harmonizing the stances of the two
sides.
(hina) rm
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