HEAD OF OSCE MISSION TO BH SATISFIED WITH COOPERATION IN MOSTAR

MOSTAR, Jan 14 (Hina) - The head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina (BH), Robert Berry, said in Mostar on Tuesday that OSCE would encourage the unification of political parties in BH on common ideological stand-points. He advocated a more transparent cooperation among political parties of the same affinity, and added that 1999 would be a transitive period in which the international community would take a role of counsellor, and would no longer remain only a participant. After talks with Croat and Bosniak officials in the Herzegovina- Neretva Canton and Mostar, Berry said that a new atmosphere was created for cooperation in Mostar, and added that obstacles in the canton should be solved jointly. The return of refugees was the primary task of the international community this year, Berry said. He noted that during his talks held with local Croat and Bosniak (Moslem) officials he noticed great efforts were being invested in the return of refugees to the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton. Berry said that in 1999 the international community would endorse the implementation of electoral results, a reform of the judiciary, trust establishment, and a decrease in expenses in armament. (hina) it mm/lml