SWEDISH DEFENCE MINISTER VISITS MOSTAR

MOSTAR, June 5 (Hina) - Mostar Mayor Ivan Prskalo on Saturday received Swedish Defence Minister Bjorn Von Sydow, accompanied by the Swedish Ambassador to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Nils Eliasson. Von Sydow expressed interest in the effect of the Kosovo crisis on Mostar, and the role of the NATO-led Stabilisation Force (FOR) in the town and Bosnia-Herzegovina, Prskalo's Office said in a statement. Prskalo stressed Mostar cannot receive refugees from Kosovo as it was already accommodating numerous refugees and displace persons to whom it cannot provide sufficient care as it is, the statement said. Visible progress has been achieved in numerous fields in Mostar. Economy must be revitalised and privatisation started to spur foreign investments, Prskalo said. He informed his Swedish guests about a successful presentation of the town of Mostar at the recent donors' conference for Bosnia- Herzegovina, Prskalo's Office said. Mostar's Mayor expressed gratitude to SFOR for its work hitherto and its contribution to the establishment of peace in the country. He also, however, advocated SFOR's departure as soon as possible. He stressed the funds being used to finance the Stabilisation Force could be used for reconstruction, and the army and armoured personnel carriers on the streets brought back war memories, the statement said. (hina) lml