MOSTAR'S OHR REGRETS HDZ BH DECISION TO SEVER COOPERATION

MOSTAR, Dec 22 (Hina) - The Mostar Regional Office of the international community's High Representative for Bosnia- Herzegovina on Wednesday regretted the decision of Bosnia's Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ BH) officials in Herzegovina- Neretva Canton to sever cooperation with the Regional Office and its head Gerhard Sontheim. High Representative Wolfgang Petrisch continues to fully trust Sontheim, the Mostar Regional Office said in today's statement. Commenting on claims that Petrisch's recalling of 22 Bosnian officials, including some from the HDZ BH, was based on Sontheim's tendentious and subjective reports, the Mostar Regional Office said the assumption that the Office had been the only source of data for the recalling was wrong. The statement reminded the recent recalling decision had not been intended to intimidate the officials, but to remove those who obstructed the rule-of-law and responsibility, especially relative to the Dayton peace agreement's Annexe 7 which regulates the refugee return. Given that Petrisch's decision was supported by the Bosnian public, the Mostar Regional Office wondered whose interest the HDZ BH was advocating. (hina) ha mm