BOSNIAN PRESIDENCY MEMBER REFUTES GELBARD'S ACCUSATIONS

SARAJEVO, April 21 (Hina) - Croat member of the three-member Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina and president of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia-Herzegovina (HDZ BiH), Ante Jelavic, on Wednesday dismissed as completely unfounded accusations by special US envoy, Robert Gelbard, against the party and Bosnian Croat political leaders during his visit to Zagreb last weekend. Jelavic told reporters following an extraordinary session of the HDZ presidency, that the party and Bosnian Croat leaders would most probably sever all contacts with Gelbard unless he proves his accusations or publicly apologises to the Croat people. "Robert Gelbard's statement in which he unequivocally called me a hard-liner extremist and a person close to the mafia, crossed not only the line of good taste and upbringing, but Gelbard also once again stepped out of all common diplomatic and political codes of conduct, convinced that he is allowed to do anything in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina," Jelavic said. He added Gelbard had with his statements showed all his political, human and intellectual limits and dropped down to a "moral nadir". Jelavic recalled he had previously overlooked Gelbard's claims by which he had compared Jelavic to Bosnian Serb hard-liner Momcilo Krajisnik, and that it was now obvious that Gelbard was attempting to disqualify Jelavic personally, but also the entire legal Bosnian Croat leadership. (hina) lml