SANADER: COOPERATION BETWEEN BOSNIA AND CROATIA IS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE FOR STABILITY IN SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

MOSTAR, Bosnia (November 13,2007) – Cooperation between Bosnia and Croatia is of vital importance for the future, peace and stability in the Southeastern Europe,the Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said yesterday in the southern Bosnian city of Mostar.

“The future of Bosnia cannot depend on the resolution of the issue of Kosovo, not can it depend on any other factor outside Bosnia, Sanader said and added that Miroslav Lajcak has his full support and the support of his government in implementing his mandate as the International community's High Representative in Bosnia.

“There is no need for imposing artificial issues that burden our bilateral relations. For example the Peljesac Bridge. Croatia has the right to connect two parts of its territory. The Peljesac Bridge will be built on Croatian territory and in doing that we shall respect Bosnia's right to territorial access to international waters”, Sanader said.

Croatia started building a coastal bridge in the southern Adriatic recently despite protests from neighboring Bosnia, which has threatened to launch a lawsuit to stop it.

The Bosnian Foreign Affairs Ministry has informed the Croatian Embassy in Bosnia that Bosnia keeps the right to launch a suit before an international court or arbitration body.

"Bosnia is not opposed to Croatia's sovereign right to link parts of its territory but this cannot be done in a way that violates Bosnia's rights and interests," a member of the Bosnian Presidency, Haris Silajdzic stated recently.