CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY OF SECOND CROAT CANTON IN BOSNIAN FEDERATION

POSUSJE, March 4 (Hina) - The constituent assembly of the Herzegovina Canton took place in Posusje today afternoon. The Herzegovina Canton includes seven municipalities: Posusje, Grude, Siroki Brijeg, Livno, Tomislavgrad, Kupres and Ljubuski where 165,740 inhabitants, 87.1 per cent Croats of them, lived according to the 1991 census. Both the Croatian and Bosnian national flags were hoisted at the constituent assembly. The establishment of the Herzegovina Canton followed the recent establishment of the Posavina Canton within the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, which is also a canton with Croatian majority. The official name of the Canton and its capital was to be decided later. The assembly of the Canton consists of 33 Croat and two Bosniac-Moslem deputies. "The assembly would bring home to everyone that we are resolute and consistent in the implementation of the Washington Accords," President of the Bosnian Federation, Kresimir Zubak, said addressing the assembly. Zubak emphasized that "the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina is such a state where Croats could fulfill their national interests". He called the gathered to be cautious in order to not to have the experiences such were in previous state communities in which Bosnian Croats used to enter. Vice President of the Bosnian Federation, Ejup Ganic, described the constituent assembly of the Herzegovina Canton as a "turning point" in the speedy establishment of the Bosnian Federation. Ganic said "the Croat-Bosniac conflict belonged to the past". Ganic believed that the Bosnian Federation presented a balance in the Balkans and stressed that the Federation should be linked with Croatia, Europe, the world as well as ensure joint ventures in the Islamic world. (hina) mar rv mms 041637 MET mar 95