MONTGOMERY RELEASES STATEMENT ON DISMANTLING OF HERCEG-BOSNA

( Editorial: --> 7307 ) ZAGREB, April 16 (Hina) - The United States expects Croatia to use all of its influence in the dismantling of parallel institutions of "Herceg-Bosna" and to see that responsibilities are transferred to the institutions of the (Croat-Muslim) Federation of Bosnia- Herzegovina. Croatia pledged to do this when it signed the Washington and Dayton agreements, said a statement by US Ambassador William Montgomery, published in Zagreb on Thursday. The statement, published in Croatian, said that the United States was very concerned over "the continued functioning of parallel structures of 'Herceg-Bosna' throughout Croat-controlled areas of the Federation". According to Montgomery, "the continued functioning of 'Herceg- Bosnian' structures undermines the process of establishing joint institutions in the Federation". "Despite promises by the Bosnian Croat leadership that the structures of the Croat Republic of Herceg Bosna would be dismantled after the signing of the Washington agreement and recent repeated reassurances that they would abide by those promises, there is evidence to the contrary which reinforces our view that the transformation of the Croat Republic of Herceg-Bosna (HR HB) into the Croat Community of Herceg-Bosna (HZ HB) in May 1997 was only a fig leaf," Montgomery said. The US Ambassador further estimates that "the continued intransigence of Bosnian Croats in this issue has a high price" concerning their prestige and international help. This is "a considerable financial and political burden for Croatia", Montgomery said. "Zagreb has to use its political and financial influence on Bosnian Croat leaders and make them dismantle the parallel structures in the Federation. The best guarantee of Croatian interests in Bosnia is a fully functioning Federation - an objective which will not be attained as long as 'Herceg-Bosna' fails to transfer responsibility to the Federation institutions which are trying to acquire authority," the US Ambassador said. Montgomery went on to enumerate examples which, he said, bore witness to the existence of parallel bodies of authority in the Croat-controlled areas of Bosnia-Herzegovina, such as insignia and symbols, parallel structures, a parallel financing system, etc. (hina) mm rm /mb 161952 MET apr 98