OSCE: MOSTAR MUNICIPAL COUNCILS MUST BE CONSTITUTED BY END OF FEB

( Editorial: --> 1827 ) MOSTAR, Feb 13 (Hina) - The head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Robert Barry, on Friday visited the southern city of Mostar for the first time. Barry held separate talks with Croat and Bosniak (Muslim) officials of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton and Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia-Herzegovina (HDZ BiH) president Bozo Rajic about implementing the results of last year's local elections. Following the talks, Barry said the implementation of last September's elections was a key to the political and economic reconstruction of Bosnia. The OSCE Mission chief said it was high time to constitute the municipal councils of Mostar's six municipalities, and he warned if this was not done by 28 February then the international community would step in and arbitrate. Rajic said HDZ BiH would influence its councillors to constitute the municipal councils in Mostar. "But we demanded consistent relations towards all sides," Rajic said, adding he also talked with Barry about the constitution of municipal councils in Bugojno, Uskoplje (Gornji Vakuf) and Stolac. Barry announced that also discussed with his Mostar hosts was the importance of opening Mostar airport to civil traffic, the return of refugees and displaced people, and media freedom. (Hina) mm mb 131945 MET feb 98