WESTENDORP: RETURN OF DISPLACED & REFUGEES IS KEY PROBLEM IN BH

( Editorial: --> 3732 ) MOSTAR, Feb 22 (Hina) - The key problem throughout Bosnia- Herzegovina is the return of displaced persons and refugees, the international community High Representatives for BH, Carlos Westendorp, told reporters in Mostar Saturday after talks with local Croat and Bosniak (Muslim) officials. The return is a global operation, Westendorp said, advocating conferences on the return should be held in Banja Luka and Mostar, like a previous one held in Sarajevo. According to the High Representative, one of the big problems in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, southern BH, and in Mostar was, the co- existence of ethnic groups. If co-existence does not work in the Croat-Muslim Federation of BH, it cannot work in BH either, he pointed out. Westendorp said his office would dismiss all officials who act contrary to the Dayton peace agreement. He called on competent domestic authorities to dismiss those individuals who are blocking the peace agreements. The Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosna no longer exists, the High Representative pointed out, adding its structures in Mostar have to be incorporated into the town's administration and into federal bodies. He said the international community would exert stronger pressure on "federal levels" to the effect of joining Herzegovina-Neretva Canton's two currently completely separated budgets into one. Westendorp hoped the Mostar airport would soon open to civilian transport. The "Croat side has evolved", he said and believed it would probably agree to a mixed administrative board suggested by his office. The administrative board would according to that proposal be composed of three Croats and three Bosniaks and one representative of Westendorp's office. Mostar Mayor Safet Orucevic and Deputy Mayor Ivan Prskalo told reporters after the meeting with Westendorp they had requested the international community's concrete assistance in the functioning of the town's administration. (hina) ha 221300 MET feb 98