MOSTAR AIRPORT OPENED TO CIVIL AIR TRAFFIC

( Editorial: --> 6205 ) MOSTAR, July 7 (Hina) - Mostar's Ortijes airport was officially opened for civil air traffic on Tuesday, following a six-year break. The airport, which was heavily damaged during the war, was opened by the international community's High Representative for Bosnia- Herzegovina, Carlos Westendorp, and Mostar's mayor and deputy mayor, Safet Orucevic and Ivan Prskalo. The first plane to land at the newly-opened airport was a Croatia Airlines aircraft, with those onboard for the occasion including the Croatian national carrier's managing director Ivan Misetic, the Croatian President's advisors Ivic Pasalic and Franjo Greguric, Croatian Democratic Union secretary-general Ivan Valent and Croatia's Ambassador to BH Darinko Bago. Several minutes later an aircraft from state carrier Air Bosna landed, with those arriving from Sarajevo including the Croat member of the Bosnian Presidency, Kresimir Zubak, and his New Croat Initiative party colleague Ivo Lozancic. High Representative Westendorp said many political obstacles had to be overcome before the opening of the airport. He expressed hope that the opening of the airport would bring about unity in the Mostar city administration. The facility will be run by a joint administration, he said. In a recent arbitration decision on the composition of the airport's management board, Westendorp chose three Croats, three Bosniaks (Muslims) and one international representative who would be its chairman. United States President Bill Clinton's special envoy Robert Gelbard emphasised today's opening of the airport was important for both Mostar and BH. He said all sides in Bosnia should overcome their narrow interests and work for the good of the whole community. We will help only those who are prepared to implement the Dayton agreement, that is the return of refugees, joint police and economic revival, Gelbard warned. He added he would oppose any attempts to revise the Dayton agreement as a way of preventing its implementation, as well as ideas on division. Also present at the opening of the airport was Croat-Muslim Federation of BH President Ejup Ganic and Serbian Orthodox Church representative Atanasije Jevtic. The opening included a spectacular display of parachute jumping from an SFOR helicopter. The first return commercial flight by Croatian Airlines on the Zagreb-Mostar route is expected on July 14. (Hina) mbr jn /ha 071813 MET jul 98