SFOR STARTS DESTROYING WEAPONS SEIZED FROM HVO

SARAJEVO, Jan 10 (Hina) - The international Stabilisation Force in Bosnia-Herzegovina on Sunday started destroying weapons seized from the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) in a raid carried out early Saturday morning, by cutting a tank. The weapons were confiscated at two HVO bases as a response to the failure of the Croat member of the BH collective presidency, Ante Jelavic, to revoke his earlier decision on the appointment and promotion of a number of Federation Army officers. The destruction of the weapons started on several locations on the territory of the Croat-Muslim Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The SFOR commander can order new actions if necessary until full compliance with the established procedure is secured, SFOR spokesman Glenn Chamberlain told reporters in Sarajevo today. Chamberlain confirmed that SFOR chief commander General Montgomery Meigs early today met Federation Defence Minister Miroslav Prce in Mostar to discuss the contentious appointments of HVO generals. Chamberlain said that certain but insufficient progress had been made during the talks. There was no direct meeting between Meigs and Jelavic although SFOR representatives are in permanent contact with Jelavic's office, he added. Following his meeting with the Federation defence minister, Meigs visited the SFOR soldiers who had participated in the raid and congratulated them on the professionally performed action. Deputy High Representative to BH Simon Haselock today said Jelavic's decision to appoint high-ranking army commanders was a clear violation of instructions that had been made public earlier, as well as of the Dayton agreement, the consequences of which he would have to face. Haselock said the Office of the High Representative was disappointed with Jelavic's actions because they occurred after the Madrid conference at which the participants had once again pledged to respect the Dayton agreement. The High Representative and the international community will not allow these challenges to remain without response, he added. The measures taken by SFOR were a first and logical action to Jelavic's actions. SFOR spokesman Chamberlain said the peace forces in BH did not have any objections to the concrete names Jelavic proposed but did object to the fact that he had not respected the established procedure. He also added SFOR had nothing against the transfer of any HVO general to a post in the Croatian Army (HV). However, if an HV officer tried to obtain a transfer to BH military forces, he would have to receive the approval of the SFOR commander, Chamberlain said. (hina) rml