APATHY and confusion seemed to unite residents of divided Mostar yesterday as feuding Bosnian Croats, Muslims and the EU wrangled in prolonged crisis talks.
People showed little regret or concern at a prospect of the EU mission ending, as Brussels has threatened unless the parties find a compromise on governing Mostar.
A pullout by the EU could damage Bosnia's fragile peace process, diplomats agree.
Most Croats, living in the western part of the sharply divided city, said it would be better for all if the EU leaves, and the two communities keep on living in their respective quarters.
"To tell you frankly I don't care about the talks with the EU. As far as I am concerned they can leave immediately," said Anica (18). "The world and Europe were the ones who got us into all this. Now they are only pretending they are trying to make peace.
"I think that the EU will stay on, because the bigger powers will say that they should stay," said Ogi (24), a car mechanic on the eastern, Muslim-controlled side of the town. "But even if they leave, the situation won't change much."
Asked to comment on the situation, another youth on the Muslim bank, who did not want to give his name, said: "I am fed up with all this and I am not following it any more. But I think that the EU will not leave yet. The things here are always solved at the nick of time."
The EU continued frantic negotiations yesterday with Bosnian Muslims and Croats in a last-ditch attempt to end their dispute over local power sharing.
Unless the bitter rivals reach a compromise the EU threatens to formally end its mission.
The EU set a deadline of midnight on Saturday for Croats to accept results of local elections and end their boycott of the joint city assembly, but talks went on further. Journalists and Mostar residents following the talks deep into the night were confused.
"I really don't understand anything any more. It looks like everybody has signed their own proposals. This is a total mess" said a journalist from the Muslim-controlled Bosnian television.
Tired by a series of climaxes and anti-climaxes, residents were surprised to learn that talks continued yesterday after having failed on two previous days.
"What? Are they still talking?
Why don't they (EU) just leave?" said a receptionist at one of Mostar's hotels.
The EU has invested some $130 million (£80 million) in rebuilding the shattered city, but nationalist concerns in Mostar play a much more important role, than money.
Stipe (37) had a similar reaction. "What talks? Let both sides live for themselves. This generation cannot live together," he said.
"Neither do the Muslims want to live with us. We don't need more than half of Mostar."
Mostar Croats, who oppose the proposed unification of the city, want to promote their half of town as the capital of their self styled, state, closely linked with Croatia.
International envoys claim the Croat half of the town is run mainly by war criminals and profiteers who stand to lose big money and power if the town reintegrates and law is restored.
For practical purposes it really is a part of Croatia already, as it" has the same currency, similar" police uniforms, national flag and car plates.
All banks and post offices were closed yesterday as it is an official state holiday in Croatia - the first anniversary of the fall Of the rebel Serb stronghold of Knin.
On the other side of the line, children were swimming and rafting on the fast-flowing, Neretva river, trying to cool off from the merciless mid-summer sun.