INT REPS IN BOSNIA CONDEMN SARAJEVO-BASED WEEKLY'S REPORT

MOSTAR, Mar 3 (Hina) - International representatives in the southern Bosnian town of Mostar on Wednesday condemned the latest reports about a Mostar minor published in "Ljiljan", a Sarajevo- based weekly close to the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), Bosnia's major Muslim party. Sabina Hadzovic, an underage girl from Mostar, was recently discovered in a cellar in the western, Croat-controlled part of the town, with serious wounds inflicted with a sharp object. "Ljiljan's" article about the girl was headlined "Western Mostar police stabs girl 30 times". The spokesmen for UN's Office in Mostar and the international high representative's Regional Office in Mostar, Douglas Coffman and Chris Riley, assessed the headline was irresponsible and inflammatory as it blamed western Mostar police even though an investigation in the matter had not yet been completed. Everything must be done to prevent the incident from being politically abused, Coffman said, while Riley added "Ljiljan" frequently published unbalanced articles which already brought international criticism. Coffman said representatives of the International Police Task Force had made an attempt to talk to the wounded Hadzovic in Kosevo Hospital in Sarajevo, but were prevented from doing so by her physician, who said the victim's physical condition did not allow interviews. Coffman said he was surprised international representatives had been prevented from talking to the girl while a "Ljiljan" reporter, who wrote the article in question, had not. (hina) ha mm