Is Neum part of the deal: If he gets the third entity, will Covic give Dodik a third of BH coast?!

All the events surrounding Neum are related to an old war script. Only a few roles and shades have changed on the way to the same goal. Croatia has announced a construction of so-called Peljesac Bridge in order to consolidate its territory by making it compact. At the same time, contrary to the international laws, it is closing a free access to the high seas for Bosnia and Herzegovina. The question is, what is behind all this? The Euro Atlantic factor may be shocked by the epilogue of this unusual story and a big game.

One ought to remember how the big father of the nation and a statesman, Franjo Tudjman, spoke in his office on 15 September 1993 about the essence of Croatia's feelings about Neum:

- I have rejected the idea of Bosniaks getting Neum, Tudjman said.

- Instead of Neum, I told them, either the free zone in Ploce or even a possibility for them to build a port on Neretva, as it is has navigability to Metkovic, which could probably be extended a few kilometers further up.

- Neum is out of the question, however, they can have an access to the sea in the free zone, or, should that not suffice, to consider building a port on their territory around Tasovcici or somewhere about, Tudjman recommended. Tasovcici in BiH are a land area above Capljina and 20 km away from the confluence of Neretva and the sea. Later on, Tudjman went further down Neretva, some 10 kilometers lower, and offered Celjevo in the south of BiH.  

On the 9th of December 1993, at 'Hunter's Inn' Dobanovci near Belgrade, a Serb delegation with Milosevic, Karadzic and Krajisnik, a Croatian delegation with Sarinic and Akmadzic, met with David Owen and Stoltenberg. They formulated the agenda as: 'How to agree on an access to the sea for Muslims Bosniaks and the Serb republic'. Tudjman did not want to give up Neum, so the focus was moved to fertile Conavle valley in Croatia, which spreads to Monte Negro.

Sarinic then said that, in Geneva, the views were expressed that Muslims should have an exit from Molunti to Vitaljine across the territory of Conavle, and for Serbs, from Vitaljine to Ostro. Karadzic shouted: Why not to Popovic, president Tudjman promised me that!

The second option they discussed was division of the coast in Neum. However, Krajisnik said that Haris Silajdzic, the Foreign minister of RBiH told him off, pointing out that they wanted the whole of Neum and that he was not interested in any deal.

As the discussions around Owen – Stoltenberg plan continued, the Croatian president, Franjo Tudjman, organized a meeting on 19 December 1993 with leaders of so-called Herzeg-Bosnia. The meeting also included Hrvoje Sarinic, Tudjman's Chief of Cabinet, Mate Granic, Foreign minister and a brigadier Zeljko Dobranovic, Tudjman's military adviser. They discussed Neum and rearranging borders.  

Zeljko Dobranovic: So, rejection of Muslim request for Neum...

Franjo Tudjman then admitted that he was discussing the coast only to stop the war in which HVO being heavily defeated, revealing thus his hypocritical politics towards Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosniaks:

- They (Bosniaks) could build a port near Celjevo, though it is clear that, it would not work in the long run, Tudjman said. Celjevo is situated some 10 kilometers upstream from Neretva confluence towards Capljina.  

Mile Akmadzic, who was more radical than Tudjman, came forth with a proposal for the border to run further up north, towards Stolac, from Buna Blagaj upwards. 'To eliminate them (Bosniaks) fully, Mr. President, to Capljina at least.'

In that same meeting, Sarinic expressed his dilemma:

- What if Serbs agree to Neum and the access to the sea.

Tudjman is asking and answering at the same time:

- How should we then approach Serbs on the issue of Prevlaka (Prevlaka was offered as an access to the Serb part of the sea)? Regarding Prevlaka, as far as Serbs are concerned, it should be Vitaljina, Tudjman said, trading eastern parts of Conavle.

Sarinic added:

- We offered to Serbs the part of 5.5 kilometers, down there, but they wanted up to Molunt... Serbs said, we will give up our right to Neum if you give us something here (Conavli), we won't create any trouble for you.

- Should they agree to a part of Neum, the problem is solved, Susak threw in his suggestion.

Obviously, Tudjman and Susak could not stand a thought of Bosniaks in Neum, but the idea of Serbs getting a piece of it was acceptable, even if they had to give up parts of beautiful Conavle.

It may be easier now to think of answers to the question why Dodik is supporting Covic and vice versa – some of the reasons and motives may be clearer now. Should the idea of the third entity be converted into a reality, requests for tripartition of 24 km long BH coast would follow, with 8 km for each entity? Bosniak part of the coast would 'not work out' as Tudjman had said while ago, while the Serb part would become a very realistic access to the Mediterranean.

Past war agreements between Serbs and Croats regarding divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina are still alive. How else could we explain the ongoing mass move of Croats from so-called former war corridor which runs from Serbia to Banja Luka? Bosniaks from Brcko are panicking over their Croat neighbors who are simply disappearing. Nobody knows why. Only some realize that secret hands of power are working hard to fulfill old war goals against Bosnia and Herzegovina, destroying its multiethnic tradition of thousand years. There are indications that, in that very global game, Serbian and Croatian regimes play very active roles.