ZAGREB, Dec 17 (Hina) - The decisions adopted on Thursday by theEuropean Union's special representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina, PaddyAshdown, are a significant step towards removing obstacles tocooperation with the International
Criminal Tribunal for the formerYugoslavia (ICTY), the EU's High Representative for the Common Foreignand Security Policy, Javier Solana, said on Thursday evening.
ZAGREB, Dec 17 (Hina) - The decisions adopted on Thursday by the
European Union's special representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Paddy Ashdown,
are a significant step towards removing obstacles to cooperation with the
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), the EU's High
Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, said
on Thursday evening.Ashdown yesterday decided to replace nine police and intelligence
officials and abolish the defence ministries of Republika Srpska and the
Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina (Bosnia's two entities), and ordered the
establishment of police structures on the state level.
Ashdown said that the latest measures were the consequence of the Serb
entity's failure to arrest any of the war crimes suspects wanted by the
Hague-based tribunal, which led to NATO's repeated refusal to admit Bosnia into
its Partnership for Peace programme.
Ashdown also ordered the closing down of numerous Serb military
facilities which are believed to have been used as hideouts by ICTY fugitives
including Ratko Mladic.