( Editorial: --> 7217 )
CAPLJINA, Aug 31 (Hina) - Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia-
Herzegovina (HDZ BiH) president Ante Jelavic has criticised a
decision to suspend a Bosnian Croat general from his duties.
On Sunday the Bosnian Presidency's Croat member Kresimir Zubak
announced he had suspended Federation Army First Guards Corps
commander General Stanko Sopta because of disallowed movements of
his unit. Zubak also holds the office of the civil commander of
Croat units in the Muslim-Croat Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina's
Army.
Commenting on the decision, Jelavic said that as the Bosnian
Federation Defence Minister he had personally commanded Sopta and
200 of his troops to join efforts to extinguish the recent fires on
Croatia's southern Adriatic islands.
In a statement to Hina on Sunday night, Zubak said that he had
temporarily suspended Sopta at the request of SFOR commander
General Eric Shinseki for several reasons, the most important being
the fact that under General Sopta's leadership "HVO (Croatian
Defence Council) members left the territory of the Federation of
Bosnia-Herzegovina".
In a pre-election HDZ BiH gathering in Capljina (southern BH) on
Sunday night, Jelavic said that the fires on the Croatian islands
and the Peljesac peninsula had been put out with assistance from
Austrians, Russians and the French, so why not Croats from Bosnia-
Herzegovina.
Zubak had based his decision "on the request of a foreigner, not his
Defence Minister", Jelavic added.
In his statement to Hina on Sunday night, Zubak also said that,
simultaneously with his decision on Sopta's temporary suspension,
he had sent a letter to the Joint Command and the Federation Defence
Ministry requesting an investigation into the reasons why General
Shinseki had made his request.
Depending on the answers, Zubak said he would reach his final
decision.
General Sopta's office announced late Monday night that he would
make no comment, since the Bosnian Federation Defence Ministry was
in charge of the matter.
(Hina) jfk jn /mbr
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