US CONDEMNS ATTACK IN DERVENTA

( Editorial: --> 9326 ) SARAJEVO, April 24 (Hina) - The United States Embassy in Bosnia- Herzegovina most strongly condemned Thursday's attack on Cardinal Vinko Puljic, Catholic priests and the Croat congregation in Derventa. The attack against Cardinal Puljic and the worshippers is absolutely unacceptable, said a statement from the US Embassy. We do not believe that the Serbs in Derventa gathered spontaneously in Derventa as claimed by local authorities and Republika Srpska officials, the statement said. We expect the Republika Srpska Government to - in cooperation with the international community - immediately identify and charge persons who are behind this incident, it further said. The US Embassy judges that the attack in Derventa was especially significant because it happened on the eve of the conference on the return of refugees to Republika Srpska, other parts of Bosnia- Herzegovina and Croatia which is set to take place in Banka Luka next week. "Attacks on returnees - whether they happen in Stolac, Drvar, Bukovica or wherever else in Bosnia-Herzegovina - cannot and will not stop the process of return," judges the US Embassy in Sarajevo. (hina) mrb/as 241931 MET apr 98