ROBERTSON: NATO WON'T LEAVE B-H

SARAJEVO, April 19 (Hina) - NATO soldiers will remain deployed in Bosnia-Herzegovina in such numbers that will enable the preservation and strengthening of peace in the country and as long as it is considered necessary, NATO Secretary-General George Robertson announced in Sarajevo on Friday. #L# At the end of a two-day visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina, where he arrived together with representatives from 19 member-countries of NATO's Permanent Council (NAC), Robertson told journalists that the main reason for his visit was in fact to convince Bosnian citizens that NATO remained committed to its obligation of preserving peace and security in the region. He stressed however that the Bosnian authorities had to finally assume some responsibility for strengthening peace and stability in their country, and one step in that direction was the reorganisation of the country's army and its subsequent rapprochement with Partnership for Peace programme. A fundamental precondition for accessing this programme, he explained, was to set up a single command and supervision system over the armed forces and Defence Ministry at the state level. He confirmed that he had told Republika Srpska officials who decisively opposed any integration of the military and defence structure that it was high time for them to stop looking back and turn to the future. If that does not happen, Bosnia-Herzegovina will remain the only region from Vancouver to Vladivostok to remain outside "Partnership for Peace", he said. Robertson reminded that Yugoslavia had real chances to access this programme. Commenting statements by Chief ICTY Prosecutor Carla del Ponte that Radovan Karadzic could be in The Hague by October, Robertson stated that he hoped this would be even sooner, confirming that NATO would continue hunting for war crimes suspects. I can promise that Karadzic and Mladic will sooner or later find themselves faced with justice, Robertson stated. (hina) sp sb