OHR OFFICIAL DISMISSES POSSIBILITY OF THIRD BH ENTITY

MOSTAR, March 10 (Hina) - The head of the regional Office of the High Representative (OHR) in Mostar, Richard Ellerkman, on Wednesday dismissed any possibility of establishing a third (Croat) entity in Bosnia-Herzegovina, describing the idea as being against the Dayton peace agreement. Ellerkman was commenting on a round table entitled "Can the Dayton- arranged Bosnia-Herzegovina have three identities without three entities", held in Mostar in the past two days. The event was organised by the Mostar branch of "Matica Hrvatska", a Croatian cultural organisation. The third entity cannot offer anything more than Bosnia- Herzegovina as a joint state and the Federation of Bosnia- Herzegovina have already offered, Ellerkman said. He recalled that the Dayton Peace Accords had been signed by Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and Bosnian Croat representatives and the international community could and would not change it, nor would it intrude upon the Croatian national identity. The international community understands that Croats in Bosnia- Herzegovina are concerned about their identity and will support their right to their own language, culture, religion, TV channel, press and sport associations, Ellerkman said, adding there could be no Bosnia-Herzegovina without Croats. (hina) rml