HERZEGOVINA-NERETVA CANTON INTERIOR MINISTER RESIGNS

( Editorial: --> 5423 ) MOSTAR, Oct 3 (Hina) - The Interior Minister for the Herzegovina- Neretva Canton, Valentin Coric, on Saturday announced he had resigned from his post. Coric gave no explanation as to his move but it is believed that his resignation has to do with the incident which happened on Friday in the village of Tasovcici, near Capljina, southern Bosnia- Herzegovina. The incident, in which one Muslim returnee was killed and another three were wounded, occurred following Thursday's blockade of the Sarajevo-Metkovic road near Tasovcici by Croat refugees, who protested against the return of Muslims to their pre-war homes. International representatives today confirmed that the situation in Tasovcici was calm and that Stabilisation Force members have been deployed in the village. The Canton's Deputy Interior Minister Sefkija Dziho said Coric had informed him in a phone conversation after last night's explosions that he was no longer able to perform his ministerial duties and was "tired of everything". Dziho also informed reporters about last night's beating of two Bosniak (Muslim) police officers in Capljina and the local branch president of the Bosniak-led Party of Democratic Action (SDA). Dziho requested that proceedings be initiated against the Croat police officers who attacked their Muslim colleagues, adding the incident was a severe blow to the canton Interior Ministry. The village of Tasovcici was today also visited by Martin Garrod, head of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) in Mostar, and Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina President Ejup Ganic. (hina) rml /mbr 032228 MET oct 98