CROATIAN & BOSNIAN DELEGATIONS BEGIN TALKS IN DUBROVNIK

( Editorial: --> 7836 ) DUBROVNIK, Sept 3 (Hina) - Delegations of Croatia and Bosnia- Herzegovina (BH) began talks on the use of Ploce, a port in southern Croatia, and passage through Neum, Bosnia's access to the Adriatic Sea, behind closed doors in Dubrovnik on Thursday. The Croatian delegation is headed by Economy Minister Nenad Porges, and the Bosnian one by the Minister for International Cooperation and Foreign Trade Mirsad Kurtovic. Also attending the talks are a special US envoy, Richard Sclar, and the deputy international high representative for BH Jacques Klein. I hope solutions will be found to mutual satisfaction, Porges told reporters ahead of the talks. The talks will tackle the starting points of both parties, how to resolve in the most acceptable way free passage through Neum, free passage to Ploce, and the use of Ploce and the free zone in it on a commercial basis, Porges said. Bosnia's Kurtovic said he believed standpoints would soon be adjusted and an agreement reached in the spirit of good neighbourly and friendly relations between Croatia and BH. Klein hoped the two parties would reach a mutually satisfying agreement in a climate of cooperation and understanding. (hina) ha 031440 MET sep 98