SARAJEVO, May 13 (Hina) - Representatives of Bosnian Croat political parties, cultural institutions of the Croat people and the Roman Catholic Church in Bosnia-Herzegovina agree that the establishment of a cantonal system in both
entities of the country is a necessary and desirable solution which may offer more security and equality to Croats as well as to other two constituent peoples in Bosnia. This attitude was expressed during Thursday's meeting of those representatives with Carlos Westendorp, the international High Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina. After the Sarajevo meeting, the head of Bosnian Friars, Petar Andjelovic, who was the moderator of the discussion, said that all of about twenty participants had attached the greatest importance to economic and security issues as well as to the maintenance of the cultural identity of the Croat nation in Bosnia. Andjelovic described the forum as a
SARAJEVO, May 13 (Hina) - Representatives of Bosnian Croat
political parties, cultural institutions of the Croat people and
the Roman Catholic Church in Bosnia-Herzegovina agree that the
establishment of a cantonal system in both entities of the country
is a necessary and desirable solution which may offer more security
and equality to Croats as well as to other two constituent peoples
in Bosnia.
This attitude was expressed during Thursday's meeting of those
representatives with Carlos Westendorp, the international High
Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
After the Sarajevo meeting, the head of Bosnian Friars, Petar
Andjelovic, who was the moderator of the discussion, said that all
of about twenty participants had attached the greatest importance
to economic and security issues as well as to the maintenance of the
cultural identity of the Croat nation in Bosnia.
Andjelovic described the forum as a chance to acquaint the
international community with opinions of people from different
structures of the Croat society and added the dialogue would
continue.
Regardless of the different views on current problems in the
country, nobody has brought the Dayton Accords into question, he
said.
"Dayton should not be touched but it should be implemented in the
proper way, and this documents leaves a possibility of additional
cantonisation, the Friars' leader explained.
Westendorp added that an idea of establishing cantons also in the
Bosnian Serb entity had been for the first time seriously presented
at this meeting. The Spanish diplomat said serious talks on the
matter would go on.
He assessed that further steps will be influenced by a ruling of
Bosnia's Constitutional Court on the harmonisation of the two
entities' constitutions with the state one and by the final
resolution on whether all three peoples are constituent on the
entire territory of Bosnia.
Westendorp warned that the current issues were not of the
institutional nature but of the practical one as authorities were
not doing their job well.
Therefore we have decided to hear opinions of representatives of
the civil society which local authorities do not take into account
sufficiently, he explained adding that similar talks would be held
with representatives of other peoples who live in Bosnia.
(hina) ms
.