HDZ BIH ASKS WESTENDORP TO RECONSIDER DECISION ON FINANCING OF FEDERATION ARMY

ARMY MOSTAR, Nov 23 (Hina) - The Presidency of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia-Herzegovina (HDZ BiH) opposes the High Representative to BH Carlos Westendorp's decision on the ratio in the allocation of additional salaries to the members of the BH Federation Army. According to the decision, adopted on November 21 this year, the salaries will be distributed among the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) and Army of Bosnia-Herzegovina in the proportion of 24:76. According to a statement released by the HDZ BiH, "the party and Croats in BH have received the decision with disbelief and utter surprise, as another anti-Croat move of the international community aimed at causing wider social unrest among the Croat people in BH". The party presidency said it expected the High Representative to reconsider his decision, taking into account earlier agreements. The two sides had reached an agreement, with mediation of vice president of the World Bank mission in BH, Sammy Mitra, on a 28:72 ratio between the HVO and the BH Army. The agreement was approved by the Federation Prime Minister Edhem Bicakcic. The HDZ Presidency resents the fact that Westendorp had neglected the fact that, according to the 1991 Census, the ratio of the Croat and Bosniak populations in the Federation was 31:69. "The same ratio was applied in the distribution of manpower and weapons between the Croat and Muslim military components", the HDZ BiH statement said. (hina) mm rml