REHN & IPTF REJECT CANDIDATES FOR CENTRAL BOSNIA INTERIOR MINISTRY

TRAVNIK, June 1 (Hina) - The candidates for both the interior and the deputy interior minister's offices in Central Bosnia Canton were on Tuesday rejected by United Nations Secretary-General special envoy Elisabeth Rehn and the International Police Task Force (IPTF). Canton prefect Branko Golub accepted Rehn's opinion and on Tuesday told reporters in Travnik the names of the new candidates would be made public within a week. In her Tuesday letter to Golub and deputy prefect Adnan Terzic, Rehn points out she and IPTF commissioner Detlef Buwitt are disappointed with the Bosnian Muslims' recommendation of a professional officer of the Croat-Muslim federal army, Lt. Col. Zijad Caber, for the office of Central Bosnia Canton's interior minister. Rehn wrote she and Buwitt believe Caber's candidacy was a step backwards three years after the Croat-Muslim war and in the wake of all the efforts which have been made to build a democratic police force. Rehn could also not agree to the candidacy of Bosnian Croat Zdravko Batinic for the office of the canton's deputy interior minister, on account of his obstruction policy implemented during his command of the police force in Uskoplje. Batinic had been directly responsible for unprofessional behaviour which was manifest on several occasions when police performance in Uskoplje had been politicised, Rehn said in her letter. She requested prefect Golub to urge that persons capable and willing to build a professional and effective interior ministry be elected as soon as possible. The residents of Central Bosnia Canton deserve it, she said in the letter. (hina) ha