BOSNIAN FEDERATION PRESIDENT ZUBAK'S PRESS CONFERENCE

MOSTAR, March 11 (Hina) - The President of the Croat-Moslem Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kresimir Zubak, today said that April 15 was too short a deadline for the implementation of the Bonn accord on accelerating the establishment of the Federation. "The deadline is unrealistic but Germany, as a host country, insisted it be shortened as much as possible," Zubak told a press conference in Mostar. Zubak said the crucial issue was interrelations between the institutions of the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Federation. He stressed that the Bonn accord stipulated that "the institutions of the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina cannot encroach on the powers of Federation institutions." The construction of the Federation would reduce the functions of both the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Croat Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia, Zubak said. He said laws on defence and internal affairs should be passed as soon as possible because the Federation would not be viable without its armed forces. Zubak added that the arbitrator for the Federation, Robert Owen, appointed by US Administration, had attended the Bonn talks. Zubak and his deputy Ejup Ganic met twice with German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel and held talks with members of the German Parliament foreign relations committee. Speaking of the situation in the Bihac area following the abduction of the local Croat Defence Council (HVO) commander, General Vlado Santic, Zubak said it was very tense. It was necessary that the Bosnian army takes energetic steps to cast more light on the case, he said, adding that he would personally contact Bosnian army commander General Rasim Delic. Zubak condemned the incident stressing that it was in the interests of neither Croats nor Moslems. Giving more details of the abduction, which took place on the night of February 8, Zubak said that Gen. Santic was taken by Bosnian military police to the Sedra Hotel, about 15 km from Bihac, under the pretext that he had been invited by Bosnian army Fifth Corps commander General Atif Dudakovic to attend a Women's Day celebration. Upon the arrival in the hotel, two escorts of Gen. Santic were disarmed, and one of them was injured in the incident. However, both of them managed to escape and come to Bihac, while Gen. Santic was abducted, and his whereabouts is still unknown, Zubak added. According to him, Gen. Dudakovic said he knew nothing about the incident, and expressed his regret that he had "not allowed Gen. Santic to leave for Croatia several days ago." Zubak said there were reports that Gen. Dudakovic had been present in the Sedra Hotel when Gen. Santic was taken away. (hina) vm mms 111642 MET mar 95