NATO & SFOR TO INITIATE NEW PILOT PROJECT FOR REFUGEE RETURN IN BH

SARAJEVO, Dec 10 (Hina) - The Bosnian Ambassador to the United Nations on Thursday said NATO and its Stabilisation Force (SFOR) would initiate a new pilot project to expedite refugee return to Bosnia at a conference on the implementation of the Dayton peace agreement in Madrid next week. Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbegovic told reporters in Sarajevo the pilot project was presented to the members of Bosnia's collective Presidency on Thursday by NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana and NATO Europe commander General Wesley Clark. Sacirbegovic did not specify which parts of Bosnia the said return would cover, but said the fact that it would be initiated by the SFOR was sufficient guarantee the returnees could count on a high level of security. The Ambassador said concrete decisions may be expected in Madrid with regard to the strengthening of some Bosnian state bodies, in the first place the establishment of a uniform payment system, and uniform administrations for the transport and telecommunications sectors. It is also expected a new concept of organisation for the Bosnian Council of Ministers might be adopted ahead of or at the Madrid meeting. In this regard, the Bosnian Moslem side insists on the expansion of the Council and on the establishment of six or seven instead of the current three ministries. (hina) ha mm