HIGH REPRESENTATIVE BELIEVES RULE OF LAW PRIORITY FOR BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Nov 5 (Hina) - A conference on the implementation of the Dayton accord which is to be held in Madrid, December 15 & 16, will mark the completion of the process of consolidating the peace process and the beginning of an era of the strengthening of democracy and the establishment of the rule of law in Bosnia- Herzegovina, the High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina Carlos Westendorp said on Thursday. Speaking at a press conference held in Sarajevo, Westendorp said that he expected the Madrid conference would ensure the implementation of the "final stages" of the Dayton Accord. He called on the authorities in Bosnia-Herzegovina to themselves contribute to the organisation of the conference. "Talks will certainly focus on familiar issues such as economic revival, the return of refugees, security and organisation of the police force. However, December marks the end of an era of consolidation and the coming of an era of the strengthening of democracy in this country as well as the rule of the law", said Westendorp. "The establishment of a just State is the key issue facing Bosnia- Herzegovina in the next two years because the people will not return if they are discriminated against by the justice system or the police or if they cannot be assured of their security", he said. Westerndorp emphasised that the international community considered that there would be difficulties in the coming period which makes the continuing presence of the Stabilisation forces in Bosnia an "absolute necessity", he said. The International Community welcomes "any democratically adopted decision" and it will not cooperate with those who do not want this, he said. Poplasen promised me that he would nominate Milorad Dodik as his premier, said Westendorp. Not everything Dodik's government did in the past period was positive however, he had inherited a parliament elected earlier and we are giving him another chance, Westendorp said. Commenting on the situation in the Croat-Muslim Federation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the High Representative said that it was far from satisfying as parallel structures to the government were still present. He pointed out that Mostar was still functioning as a deeply divided town for which a "section of the Croatian Democratic Union in B-H leadership" was at fault for preventing the return of Croats to east Mostar. Westerndorp said that it was important to convince Bosnian Croats that the Federation was their home too and that it was on large, the responsibility of Bosnian Muslims to achieve this and for this to be truly so. (Hina) sp