OHR: PETRITSCH IS NOT UNDER US CONGRESS INVESTIGATION

MOSTAR, Aug 8 (Hina) - Mostar's branch office of the international High Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday refuted media reports according to which the work of the High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch, was under an investigation of the US Congress and that Petritsch would be called to answer for his work. According to some media, the US Congress foreign affairs committee's head, Republican Henry Hyden told Petritsch his work was under an investigation after Sarajevo Roman Catholic Archbishop Vinko Puljic and Mostar Bishop Ratko Peric harshly criticised the international envoys' conduct in BH before the committee. Spokeswoman for the Mostar office, Avis Benes, said on Wednesday Petritsch did not receive any message that his work was under an investigation. Benes said neither the Office of the High Representative (OHR), nor the Peace Implementation Council communicated with Hyden who had invited two Bosnian church dignitaries to address congressmen. Benes also denied media information that Petritsch rushed to Washington to meet Hyden a day after the dignitaries held speeches. Petritsch was already in the US where he has earlier scheduled meetings with the UN Secretary Kofi Annan and US Administration officials, Benes said. She added Petritsch asked through a mediator to meet Hyden, but the US congressman was unavailable at the moment which, Benes said, was not unusual in diplomacy. (hina) np ms