SARAJEVO, Nov 12 (Hina) - OSCE Mission chief to Bosnia-Herzegovina Robert Barry warned Sunday that information on the results of general elections held in the country Saturday, as issued by political parties, should be taken with a
grain of salt. Any prognosis issued before the counting of all ballots may be hazardous. After all we witnessed this on the example of other elections, Barry told a news conference, alluding to controversies caused by the postponing of issuing results of presidential elections in the United States. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe will issue the first preliminary results of the Bosnian elections on Monday, Barry said, stressing the final results would be expected on November 17, until all ballots from abroad are counted. The OSCE Mission chief reiterated his satisfaction with the course of elections, adding they were proof that Bosnia-Herzegovina was becomin
SARAJEVO, Nov 12 (Hina) - OSCE Mission chief to Bosnia-Herzegovina
Robert Barry warned Sunday that information on the results of
general elections held in the country Saturday, as issued by
political parties, should be taken with a grain of salt.
Any prognosis issued before the counting of all ballots may be
hazardous. After all we witnessed this on the example of other
elections, Barry told a news conference, alluding to controversies
caused by the postponing of issuing results of presidential
elections in the United States.
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe will issue
the first preliminary results of the Bosnian elections on Monday,
Barry said, stressing the final results would be expected on
November 17, until all ballots from abroad are counted.
The OSCE Mission chief reiterated his satisfaction with the course
of elections, adding they were proof that Bosnia-Herzegovina was
becoming ready to take on the organisation of the overall electoral
process itself.
Asked to comment on a statement made by the president of the
Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia-Herzegovina (HDZ BiH), Ante
Jelavic, that the mission of the international community's
representatives in the country -- Barry, High Representative
Wolfgang Petritsch, and UN official Jacques Klein -- were history
for the Croat people in Bosnia, Barry said Jelavic's actions were in
complete contrast to the stances of Croatia which is one of the
signatories to the Dayton Agreement, as the government in Zagreb
advocated and demanded its full implementation.
This is not the time for an exchange of threats. We expect political
party officials to respect the Dayton Agreement and electoral
regulations, as they had committed themselves to doing in written
form by registering for the elections, Barry asserted.
He confirmed any attempt of establishing parallel bodies of
authority would be considered a serious violation of the Dayton
accords.
High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch said any possible measures
to be undertaken will follow a careful scrutiny in cooperation with
the OSCE Mission.
Reiterating Ante Jelavic was the only opponent of the Dayton
Agreement who is still in office in the region, Petritsch relayed to
Jelavic it would be better for him to listen to Croatia's President
Stipe Mesic who said the implementation of the Dayton Agreement and
cooperation with the international community were the best options
for Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
(hina) lml