GARROD ENCOURAGED WITH DEVELOPMENT OF SITUATION IN STOLAC

( Editorial: --> 5231 ) MOSTAR, April 7 (Hina) - Head of the Mostar Regional Office of the International High representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Martin Garrod, said on Tuesday he was encouraged with the positive development of events in Stolac (under Croat control). Commenting on Monday's visit of the deputy international high representative, Hans Shumacher, Garrod said that during talks with local officials about the return of refugees, a conclusion had been adopted that Stolac could not be regarded in isolation, meaning that possibilities for the return of displaced persons and refugees to northern parts of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton and central Bosnia (under Moslem control) should be open. Garrod expressed concern about the fact that still nobody has been arrested or charged for recent explosions and arson, neither in the Stolac municipality nor in central Bosnia. Arresting and filing charges against the perpetrators is the only way for mistrust and fear to be overcome, Garrod said. UN spokeswoman in Mostar, Kelly Moore, said 21 houses in Stolac and the surrounding villages had been damaged or destroyed since March this year. She said that around a hundred Bosnian Serbs from Trebinje had visited cemeteries in the (Croat) municipality of Ravno, and no incidents had occurred. Moore said the first course for both entities on the joint implementation of the Law on drugs. This five-day course was organised by officials of the UN international programme for drug control, with the cooperation of the International Police Task Force (IPTF). (hina) lm jn 071532 MET apr 98