KLEIN: VIOLENCE WILL NOT STOP FIGHT AGAINST CRIME

SARAJEVO, April 6 (Hina) - Violence which erupted in the streets of Mostar on Friday will not prevent the international community from continuing to fight crime and corruption in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the head of the U.N. Mission to the country, Jacques Klein, said today. In a written statement sent to Hina in Sarajevo, Ambassador Klein most harshly condemned violence on the streets of Mostar and other towns in Herzegovina which erupted following an inspection into the operation of the Hercegovacka Bank. Klein stresses that there is reasonable suspicion that the Hercegovacka Bank has been used for various illegal activities, including support for illegal parallel structures of authority in the country. Regardless of the incidents which occurred during the day, the inspection will not be discontinued nor will the violence prevent the international community from fighting crime and corruption, reads the statement. UN Mission spokesman Douglas Coffmann confirmed to Hina that a number of representatives of international organisations operating in Mostar were injured in today's clashes. The main targets of bullies were members of the Office of the High Representative and SFOR, but it has been established yet how many of them have been injured. The buildings and vehicles of international organisations in Mostar were attacked in the violent demonstrations as well. The U.N. Mission has been analysing the conduct of the local police and it has been established that they did not act timely nor appropriately to prevent the spreading of violence. (hina) rml