DAYTON AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE REVISED - ALBRIGHT

( Editorial: --> 7097 ) SARAJEVO, Aug 31 (Hina) - US State Secretary Madeleine Albright dismissed in Sarajevo on Monday any possibility of amendments to the Dayton Agreement and requested its full implementation. I wish to be clear. There will be no revision of the Dayton Agreement and there will be no division of Bosnia-Herzegovina. It will be one state with two multi-ethnic entities, Albright told reporters. She held a news conference with chairman of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency Alija Izetbegovic and the Croat member of the Presidency, Kresimir Zubak after talks. US State Secretary did not hold talks with the Serb member of the Presidency, Momcilo Krajisnik, because, as she said, she wished to talk only with those who supported the Dayton Agreement. There is no doubt that despite the difficult war, Bosnia- Herzegovina had managed to persist as a state and maintain unity with all the differences within it, Albright said. However, she added, its citizens must now be ensured equal rights they had had previously, while, at the same time, Bosnia- Herzegovina must get the chance to become what it had not been before - a democratic country and an integral part of Europe. Albright stressed that during her separate talks with Izetbegovic and Zubak, she had underlined as priorities the better work of joint institutions, economic reforms and privatisation, free elections, and full implementation of the Dayton accords by those who arrive to power in the elections. She forwarded a criticism to local authorities in Sarajevo who were hindering and obstructing the return of refugees to the city, thereby hindering the implementation of the Sarajevo Declaration. There cannot be a multi-ethnic Bosnia-Herzegovina if Sarajevo is not open to all its citizens, she added. Izetbegovic stressed that an agreement had been reached with Albright that after elections, the function of chairperson of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia-Herzegovina should be established, and the functions of two co-chairmans cancelled. The judiciary also has to be reformed in order to ensure its independence from political authority, he said. Izetbegovic underlined the necessity of creating a unified state border police which would ensure the functioning of the customs system, as well as prevent terrorists from arriving into the country. He and Albright agreed that the process of return of refugees should continue, describing the process in Mostar as positive. Izetbegovic dismissed criticisms on the implementation of the Sarajevo Declaration, reasoning that refugees and soldiers' families could not be evicted from apartments. He applauded the involvement of America in negotiations on the status of the port of Ploce, and at the same time, accused Croatia of purposefully loitering. "In this case, Croatia has chosen rather to harm Bosnia-Herzegovina than ensure itself some benefit," Izetbegovic said. Albright confirmed that US negotiator Richard Sklar would continue his efforts on the issue. Kresimir Zubak described talks with the US State Secretary as open. He added that he had stressed that Bosnia-Herzegovina could not persist without Croats. The Dayton agreement has ensured equality for Croats in Bosnia- Herzegovina, as well as conditions for their conservation. Zubak said that people who are prepared to implement the peace agreement should be placed in all structures of authority. According to Zubak, Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina could be a bridge in good neighbourly relations between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia, which, he added, was in mutual interest. (hina) lml 311304 MET aug 98