SECURITY COUNCIL ON BOSNIA'S CROAT, SERB AUTHORITIES

NEW YORK, March 22 (Hina) - Bosnian Croat authorities and those in Republika Srpska in some issues openly oppose the implementation and the Dayton peace agreements and the joint, New York statement signed by Bosnia's three-member presidency, a United Nations Security Council official said in New York on Wednesday. The Council convened to consider Secretary-General Kofi Annan's latest report on Bosnia-Herzegovina, reaffirming the general assessment that a certain progress had been made in the implementation of the peace agreements. In that respect, the Council singled out the establishment of the District of Brcko, this north-eastern Bosnian town's multinational police force, and certain positive steps in the establishment of the border police. According to Annan's assistant for peace operations, Hedi Annabi, a resistance and refusal to the establishment of joint police forces and the functioning of authorities continue to be evident in central Bosnia, and especially in Mostar, a town in the country's south. Annabi and the Security Council agreed with the secretary- general's assessment that Bosnian Croat authorities in Mostar openly refused to include local police forces in the western, mostly Croat-populated part of the town into the interior ministry. The Council assessed the Bosnian Serb entity had failed to fulfil its obligations in connection with the national composition of its police force. The Council also agreed with Annan's assessment that the promises by Croatia's new authorities in connection with Croatia's relationship with Bosnia-Herzegovina, namely Bosnian Croats, were welcome. (hina) ha