(6 Aug 1996) Eng/Serbo-Croat/Nat
Bosnian Muslims and Croats have finally signed a deal on the administration of the southwestern city of Mostar.
Both sides said they were happy with the agreement, which ends a lengthy row over the formation of a new city council.
The European Union - which has administered Mostar since 1994 - had threatened to withdraw from the city unless Muslim and Croat leaders could agree to share power.
A deal was finally signed on Tuesday, after hours of protracted negotiations between the Bosnian Croats and Muslims of Mostar.
E-U negotiators had given the adversaries two deadlines to come to an agreement on power-sharing in the southwestern Bosnian city.
But both Saturday and Monday's deadlines came and went - disagreement continued to hinge on the June 30 local elections which were narrowly won by a Muslim-led coalition.
The Croats insisted that polling irregularities had taken place and threatened to boycott city council meetings.
But the international community insisted that the results of the elections be recognised.
And despite earlier threats to pull out of Mostar if the deadlines weren't met, the E-U resumed talks with both sides on Tuesday, hoping an agreement could still be reached.
The effort finally paid off.
SOUNDBITE: (Serbo-Croat)
(Translation): \"The biggest problem was for us to agree on some things because this process has been going on for two years and now it has ended. It's not finished yet, but we have the agreement on paper and we have to implement it\".
SUPER CAPTION: Mijo Brajkovic, mayor of Croat-controlled west
Analysts say the Croats were using the \"polling irregularities\" as an excuse to refuse to accept a city council dominated by Muslims and to keep their independence in the Muslim-Croat federation.
SOUNDBITE: (Serbo-Croat)
(Translation): \"We were talking about this problem to find a solution, to overcome the situation in which the Croat side was not recognising the election results. But now we've made an agreement that everyone respects the election results and we will elect a city council\".
SUPER CAPTION: Safet Orusevic, mayor of Muslim-controlled east Mostar
With so much at stake, the talks had continued Sunday and Monday long past both the original E-U deadlines.
A late-night session ended, deadlocked, at around 0400 local time Tuesday (0200 GMT) after five hours.
The two sides met again in the morning, exhausted, but seeming close to agreement.
After another three hours of discussions, the E-U administrator for Mostar said that he was extremely happy that agreement had been reached.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
\"This of course if very good news and what will happen now is that the recommendation will be put to the E-U presidency\".
SUPER CAPTION: Sir Martin Garrod - E-U administrator in Mostar
In Zagreb, Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic welcomed the agreement.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
\"We support both sides' compromise and we used all our force how to find the compromise, because the agreement in Mostar would definitely support all the strengthening of the Federation\".
SUPER CAPTION: Mate Granic - Croatian Foreign Minister
The Bosnian Vice President believes the deal bodes well for future all-Bosnia elections.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
SUPER CAPTION: Ejup Granic - Bosnian Vice President
Carl Bildt, the top international mediator for civilian implementation of the Dayton peace accord discussed the situation in Mostar with Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic at a meeting on Monday.
However Bildt stressed there was still some way to go.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
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