PIC CALLS ON CROATIA TO STOP PAYING BOSNIAN CROAT OFFICIALS

( Editorial: --> 0078 ) LUXEMBOURG, June 9 (Hina) - The Peace Implementation Council's (PIC) Steering Board on Tuesday demanded Croatia stop paying Croat civilian and military officials in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and it rebuffed Croatia's cantonisation proposals. At a ministerial meeting in Luxembourg, the PIC Steering Board called on both Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) to do more to fulfil their obligations as signatories to the Dayton peace agreement for Bosnia. The Steering Board expressed concern over Croatia's continued payment of Bosnian Croat officials and military personnel. "Such payments undermine the integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina and should be immediately phased out," a final declaration passed by the PIC Steering Board said. Following the meeting Foreign Minister Mate Granic, who lead the Croatian delegation to the session, was unable to comment on this demand by the international community. The Steering Board also expressed opposition to Croatian proposals to strengthen cantons in the Croat-Muslim Federation of BH. "Attempts to modify the agreed structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Canton or Entity level that would lead to separation or segregation are unacceptable," the declaration said. The meeting called on Croatia to allow the unimpeded return of Croatian Serb refugees to the country and to support the refugee return process in neighbouring Bosnia. "Croatia must also establish an effective and consistent border regime with Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is necessary for accession to any international trade organisations," the declaration continued. It said the Steering Board welcomed the recent decision of the Croatian Government to extend visa exemptions to all BH citizens, including those of the Bosnian Serb entity. The Board also demanded that Croatia actively enforce international High Representative Carlos Westendorp's decision regarding new registration plates for vehicles which cross the Croatian-Bosnian border. European Commission representative Hans van den Broek warned Croatia that the European Union could remove trade concessions if it did not deliver a return plan for Croatian Serb refugees. Croatia's Granic told the meeting that the Croatian Government and Parliament would deliver the return plan by June 25. He also said that from June 25, Croatia would fully begin implementing Westendorp's decision on new car registration plates for traffic crossing Croatian borders. Following the meeting, the Croatian Foreign Minister told reporters Croatia was seeking United States support regarding the succession process for the former Yugoslavia, resolving the issue of the Prevlaka peninsula on Croatia's southern flank and joining the NATO Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme. Granic said he expected that Croatia would begin negotiations on advancing its entry into the PfP following resolution of the refugee return issue, the end of the UN Support Group mandate in Croatia's Danube River region and the reaching of an agreement with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe over its observer mission in Croatia. (Hina) mbr 092316 MET jun 98