BOSNIA NEEDS FUTURE-ORIENTED POLITICIANS - SAYS MEIGS

SARAJEVO, Oct 11 (Hina) - International military forces will leave Bosnia-Herzegovina once smaller and more professional local military forces are established, which will defend the Constitution and will not be subject to political pressure, chief commander of NATO's Stabilisation Force (SFOR), Montgomery Meigs, said in Sarajevo on Monday. Speaking at a press conference prior to his leaving duty in Bosnia, General Meigs said it was necessary to establish an efficient judicial system and a police which will defend the law in order to stabilise the situation in Bosnia. Meigs regretted that during his tenure in Bosnia, the SFOR had not had the opportunity to apprehend more persons suspected of war crimes. He confirmed the number of SFOR members in Bosnia would be reduced by 25-33 percent in the upcoming period. That will not affect the operative skills of the force on the ground, he added. General Meigs was asked what he thought was the biggest problem in Bosnia, and answered it was the influence of political parties burdened by a communist mentality and a need to control everything in society. The outgoing SFOR chief commander called on Bosnia's citizens to use their democratic right at the upcoming elections and elect those politicians who will take them into the future instead of constantly returning them to the past. Meigs returns to Germany on 18 October to his permanent post as the commander of the United States army in Europe. He will be replaced in Bosnia by U.S. General Ron Adams. (hina) ha mm