BOSNIAN SERBS DENIED CONTROL OF RADIO & TV TRANSMITTERS

( Editorial: --> 2598 ) SARAJEVO, 6 Jan (Hina) - The office of the High Representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina has rejected a request by the Bosnian Serb leadership in Pale to be given back control of radio and television transmitters, which are currently under NATO control. The office of the High Representative also dismissed Serb accusations that transmitters had been damaged due to poor maintenance. Technicians of Serb radio and television have been granted regular access to the transmitters so that they can take care of their maintenance, said Rida Attanashari, spokesman for the office of the High Representatives, in Sarajevo Tuesday. Radio and television transmitters in eastern Bosnia-Herzegovina were put under control of the Stabilisation Force (SFOR) after the studio in Pale had ignored requests of the international community to change its editing policy and ban party influence from the state media. The Bosnian Serb television and radio program is being broadcast exclusively from a studio in Banja Luka. However, Attanashari announced that an international supervisor would be sent to Banja Luka as well, to monitor whether professional media standards are being observed. At a session held yesterday in Bijeljina, northern Bosnia, the incumbent government of Republika Srpska, which is made up exclusively of members of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS), asked SFOR to give Pale studio control over the communication system. They further said that the next session of the Bosnian Serb assembly, to be held on 12 January, would be broadcast if their request was met. Westendorp's spokesman said that the session of the Bosnian Serb parliament would be held within the planned deadline. Should it fail to take place as planned, the international community would consider measures to be taken, Attanashari said. UN spokesman Alexander Ivanko said that the outgoing head of the UN mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kai Eide, yesterday met with the Serb member of the Bosnian presidency, Momcilo Krajisnik. Eide demanded that the establishment of the new Bosnian Serb government be accelerated. (hina) rm 061535 MET jan 98