IZETBEGOVIC: "MR. SCLAR, GET OFF OUR BACKS"

SARAJEVO, Nov 25 (Hina) - The Muslim member of the Bosnia- Herzegovina Presidency Alija Izetbegovic and a group of his closest associates have accused US envoy Richard Sclar of undiplomatic behaviour and pressures against Bosnian Muslim officials. The US diplomat participated in negotiations concerning the use of the Croatian port of Ploce by Bosnia-Herzegovina and free passage through Neum (in the Federation territory) by Croatia and an agreement on special relations between Croatia and the Croat- Muslim Federation. In an open letter, carried by Television Bosnia-Herzegovina, Izetbegovic accused Sclar of having presented "Bosnia-Herzegovina and its current leadership in a very unfavourable light" in a TV interview broadcast by Sarajevo Open Broadcast Network on Monday. Izetbegovic said that Sclar had described all BH politicians as corrupt, stressing that that qualification referred to all, without exception. Izetbegovic claims that he and his associates are "not thieves". The Bosnian Muslim leadership understands Sclar's accusations as an instrument for blackmail, aimed at facilitating the fulfilment of tasks he has been entrusted with. "Publish then finally the names of corrupt politicians in Bosnia. Make them known or get off our backs Mr. Sclar", the letter read. In the said interview, the US envoy put the stress on the fact that necessary economic reforms have still not taken place in Bosnia- Herzegovina and that the process of privatisation is intolerably late, for which the responsibility rests with the ruling political structure. Sclar also said that no one would be willing to invest in such a country and that one should not count on its speedy recovery. (hina) mm rml