GARROD EXPECTS RESULTS OF INVESTIGATION INTO STOLAC INCIDENTS

( Editorial: --> 6671 ) MOSTAR, April 14 (Hina) - The international community has called on the authorities in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton and Stolac (southern Bosnia-Herzegovina) to investigate the latest incidents in Stolac, where Bosniak (Muslim) houses were mined and set on fire. The international community expects that the investigation will yield results and that the perpetrators will be punished, said Martin Garrod, head of the Mostar-based regional office of the High Representative. Speaking at a press conference in Mostar on Tuesday, Garrod reported four new incidents in which wells of Bosniak returnees were mined in the night between April 11 and 12. Asked about Sarajevo media reports on his leaving his post in Mostar, Garrod said he did not want to comment on them. Neither the deadline of his departure from Mostar nor his successor had been determined, Garrod said. Sarajevo media report that Garrod has not made any considerable progress lately as mediator between Croats and Bosniaks, which, it is claimed, is one of the reasons for his recall. The head of the OSCE office David Foley said that the area of responsibility of the office would spread to the southern part of Republika Srpska, while Central Bosnia Canton would be under control of the OSCE office in Tuzla. The opening of the OSCE office in Trebinje would contribute to the improvement of relations between the Croat-Muslim Federation and Republika Srpska, Foley said. (hina) rm 141554 MET apr 98