NATO CHIEF SAYS BOSNIA NEEDS LEADERSHIP WHICH LOOKS TO FUTURE

( Editorial: --> 8219 ) SARAJEVO, April 20 (Hina) - NATO Secretary General Javier Solana and members of the North Atlantic Council visited Bosnia- Herzegovina on Monday to show support for the peace process in the country. They met SFOR troops in Bosnia-Herzegovina and held talks with local political leaders and international officials. At the end of his tour of Sarajevo, Solana told reporters the purpose of today's visit was to assess the situation in Bosnia ahead of the delivery of a vital decision on extending the SFOR mandate, which ends in June, and before general elections in the country set down for September. We remain strongly committed to our responsibilities for maintaining peace in Bosnia, the NATO Secretary General said. Solana believed significant progress in strengthening the peace process had been made recently but warned this had occurred primarily thanks to the involvement of international organisations in Bosnia. We believe it is about time that elected officials in this country take initiative on this plan and we will offer them support, Solana said. He also said the NATO alliance hoped that following the September elections, Bosnia-Herzegovina would receive a leadership which would look to the future instead of constantly turning to the past. In answer to a journalist's question, Solana confirmed actions would continue in arresting war crimes suspects and these would be undertaken in accordance with SFOR's mandate. I firmly believe all those suspected will be brought before the Hague tribunal before NATO leaves Bosnia, he said. The Secretary General said NATO had no plans to send troops to the troubled Yugoslav province of Kosovo but the western military alliance was prepared to undertake measures to secure the stability of neighbouring countries, such as Albania and Macedonia. Solana and ambassadors of the North Atlantic Council in Permanent Session arrived in Bosnia accompanied by Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Wesley Clark, and Military Committee chairman General Klaus Naumann. They held talks with members of the Bosnian Presidency, opposition leaders and international High Representative for implementation of the Dayton accords, Carlos Westendorp. (Hina) mb /ha 202119 MET apr 98