MOSTAR, Oct 16 (Hina) - The commander of international Stabilisation Force (SFOR) in Bosnia-Herzegovina, General Montgomery Meigs, suspended the commander of the first Croat guards brigade, Major-General Zlatan Mijo Jelic, because of
his statement with which he violated ethics of officers who have the rank of generals, the Croat-Moslem Federation's Defence Ministry said in a statement on Saturday. According to the statement issued by Pavao Dragun, an assistant for public relations of this federal ministry, the American general notified the federal Defence Minister, Miroslav Prce, that Gen. Jelic had been suspended on October 12 due his public statement that fails to comply with standards and ethics of officers with the rank of generals, under the Chapter 15 of instructions for parties. Gen. Meigs. blamed this Bosnian Croat general for his stands while he advocated interests of the Croatian compone
MOSTAR, Oct 16 (Hina) - The commander of international
Stabilisation Force (SFOR) in Bosnia-Herzegovina, General
Montgomery Meigs, suspended the commander of the first Croat guards
brigade, Major-General Zlatan Mijo Jelic, because of his statement
with which he violated ethics of officers who have the rank of
generals, the Croat-Moslem Federation's Defence Ministry said in a
statement on Saturday.
According to the statement issued by Pavao Dragun, an assistant for
public relations of this federal ministry, the American general
notified the federal Defence Minister, Miroslav Prce, that Gen.
Jelic had been suspended on October 12 due his public statement that
fails to comply with standards and ethics of officers with the rank
of generals, under the Chapter 15 of instructions for parties.
Gen. Meigs. blamed this Bosnian Croat general for his stands while
he advocated interests of the Croatian component in negotiations on
th relocation of premises of the Bosnian federal army. Those
opinions were expressed at the recent ceremonial opening of the
Croat sports games of war veterans in Mostar.
Dragun told the Croat radio 'Herceg-Bosna' that the federal defence
ministry expressed "surprise and disappointment" at the decision
on the suspension. The ministry holds that this act definitively
brings the credibility of some prominent representatives of the
international community into question, in view to their attitude
toward the Croat component in the Federation's Army and HVO
(Bosnian Croat) high-ranking officers.
Dragun spoke also about the undeniable role of General Jelic in the
capacity of the commander of the Croat component, who gave
"unavoidable and constructive contribution to the process of
implementation of the military segment of the Dayton peace
accords."
The international community described HVO (Bosnian Croat Defence
Council) as one of carriers of positive integration processes, and
this would not be possible without the personal contribution of
General Jelic," asserted Dragun.
On Saturday, SFOR offices in Sarajevo and Mostar declined to
comment on this decision taken by Gen. Meigs.
Gen. Meigs is to be succeeded by another American General, Ron
Adams, on Monday at the post of the SFOR commander.
(hina) ms