SFOR REMOVES CROATIAN POLICE FORCE FROM MARTIN BROD

SARAJEVO, Dec 23 (Hina) - The international Stabilisation Force (SFOR) in Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday morning removed Croatian police forces from the area of Martin Brod (southern Croatia/western BH), the Sarajevo-based SFOR command reported today. According to a statement issued by SFOR, the operation, undertaken at the request of High Representative Carlos Westendorp, was carried out without any incidents or violence. The area of Martin Brod is now under control of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina police forces, the statement added. An SFOR spokesman in Sarajevo declined to comment on the statement. The Office of the High Representative (OHR) announced that it would issue a statement on the latest event in Martin Brod this afternoon. The border line in the area of Martin Brod is a contentious issue in the Croatian-Bosnian relations. OHR representatives have on several occasions stated their view that the municipality was a constituent part of Bosnian state territory. In his latest public comment on the issue, Westendorp's deputy Simon Haselock said the international community considered valid those border lines between the now independent states, which had been valid at the time of the former Yugoslav federation. A border line can be changed only by agreement between the interested parties, he said. Croatia and Bosnia have recently established a joint commission for solving all open border questions, including Martin Brod. The commission has already held its first session and adopted rules of procedure. (hina) mm rml