OWEN, STOLTENBERG ON IMPLEMENTATION OF DEC 2 AGREEMENT

GENEVA, March 1 (Hina) - The co-chairmen of the Peace Conference on Former Yugoslavia, David Owen and Thorvald Stoltenberg, said today that "remarkable results had been achieved" in the implementation of the Dec 2 Economic Agreement between the Croatian Government and rebel Serbs. More than 160,000 vehicles have used the newly-reopened Zagreb-Lipovac highway; generator poles have been returned to the Obrovac power plant in good order; an oil pipeline through UNPA Sector North has been put into operation; and the negotiations on the establishment of a Joint Commercial Oil Company have reached the final stage, the pair enumerated in a statement. The co-chairmen announced that further agreements, such as the opening of the Zagreb-Okucani-Brod-Mirkovci-Tovarnik railway and the resolution of water resources problems, could soon be expected. "Due to the present political situation, further negotiations have been temporarily suspended. We emphasise that it is essential to implement the agreement fully and to resume further negotiations as soon as possible," the statement said. "Such implementation and negotiations will require an adequate basis of stability, which is now ensured by UNPROFOR. We are confident that a solution will be found, which can provide this stability also for future implementation and negotiations. It must be found without delay. And we are confident that the acceleration of the negotiating process witnessed since October last year has made it clear to all that the conflict can be solved through negotiations and peaceful means," the statement concluded. (hina) mm as sd 012102 MET mar 95