B-H COUNCIL OF MINISTERS TO UNDERGO REORGANISATION

( Editorial: --> 7699 ) SARAJEVO, Oct 12 (Hina) - The Office of the High Representative (OHR), in charge of the implementation of the Dayton peace agreement in Bosnia-Herzegovina, has drafted a new model of organisation of the state's Council of Ministers. According to the draft proposal, the Council of Ministers should have one chairman, two deputies and six ministers. The proposal is aimed at establishing a more efficient Council of Ministers, Deputy High Representative Hanns Schumacher said in an interview with Monday's issue of the Sarajevo daily "Oslobodjenje". The OHR finds the current principle of weekly rotation of the two co-chairmen unacceptable and detrimental to the work of the Council, said Schumacher. The OHR would like to see a Council headed by one chairman who would be appointed for a long period of time and also perform the duties of a premier, Schumacher said expressing doubt that the three sides were ready for an agreement on this. The OHR has proposed that the rotation of the Council's three chairmen from the three ethnic groups take place every eight months, as in the BH Presidency, the Deputy High Representative said. The chairmen of the BH Presidency and Council of Ministers could not be from the same ethnic group, he added. Deputies to the chairmen of these two bodies would be in charge of European integration processes and financial and economic issues. The Council of Ministers would, along with the existing ministries of foreign affairs, foreign trade and civil affairs, also include the ministries of traffic and communications, finances and legal affairs. The three sides would have two ministers each in the Council. The OHR's model is to be considered by the BH Presidency. It is expected that the new organisation of the Council of Ministers should be decided in three to four weeks. (hina) rml 121155 MET oct 98