WESTENDORP: RETURN OF REFUGEES MUST BE EXPEDITED

SARAJEVO, Dec 11 (Hina) - High International representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina Carlos Westendorp said Friday that the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia-Herzegovina must be protected, and all moot border issues, such as Martin Brod (west Bosnia and south Croatia) must be resolved by the inter-state commission on border issues. In the meantime, restrain from use of force and deployment of police in the contentious areas, Westendorp told Friday's issue of Sarajevo's daily "Oslobodjenje". The full protection of Bosnia-Herzegovina's borders cannot be established without the existence of a border service, or police, which will function on a state level, and this will be one of the subjects of discussion at a meeting of the Council for the Implementation of the Peace Agreement which will take place next week in Madrid. The focus of the meeting will be the problem of return of refugees, he added. Westendorp stressed that everything must be done to expedite the process within the next two years, after which they will be no return. We cannot accept ethnic cleansing results and it cannot be commended. In order for the return to be achieved, we must exert pressure by every means, Westendorp said. He added that in 1999, the return of refugees must double or triple by number, in relation to the 35,000 returnees in 1998. He said he was currently more concerned with the situation governing in the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina that in Republika Srpska, due to the lack of understanding between Croats and Bosniaks (Moslems)- Asked when and if war crimes indictees Karadzic and Ratko Mladic would be apprehended, Westendorp said he believed their days were numbered and they would end up before the criminal tribunal in The Hague. (hina) lml mm