US OFFICIALS DISCUSS CORRUPTION, REFUGEE RETURN IN MOSTAR

MOSTAR, Sept 21 (Hina) - A deputy to the special US envoy for the Dayton agreement, James Pardew, and the head of an anti-corruption team in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Robert Frowick, on Tuesday visited Mostar, southern Bosnia-Herzegovina. The two officials met international representatives operating in the town and then held talks with the Croat and Bosniak officials of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton and the city of Mostar. Pardew and Frowick refused to give statements after the meetings. Canton Prefect Hamo Maslesa said talks with the US officials tackled corruption, refugee return, and the central city zone. They warned that there is still no joint canton authority nor has the customs system been regulated yet, Maslesa told reporters. The US officials confirmed that there was a central city zone, requesting that the judicial system in Mostar be regulated accordingly. They dismissed objections of the Croat side that the zone was becoming the seventh municipality. It was concluded at the talks that Mostar residents who had been evicted after the signing of the Dayton agreement had to return to their homes in Mostar by the end of the year at the latest. The president of the canton government, Franjo Ljubic, said Croat officials did not agree with Mostar being mentioned as an example of town where refugees were not returning, because Serbs and Bosniaks were returning to Mostar in larger numbers than in other parts of the Croat-Muslim Federation. Ljubic said the Croat officials requested equality for the Croatian language. The Croat side also requested international help in the adoption of numerous laws which could facilitate the work of the canton government, he added. (hina) rml