BILDT CALLS ON REPUBLIKA SRPSKA TO ADOPT UNIFIED BOSNIAN CURRENCY AND BANK

AND BANK SARAJEVO, Jan 12 (Hina) - High representative for the implementation of the peace agreement in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Carl Bildt, on Sunday expressed conviction that an agreement on the establishment of the Central Bank and a unified Bosnia-Herzegovina currency would be reached by the end of February, which, he added, was an important precondition for continued international support. At a news conference in Sarajevo, held after the end of the Economy Forum on reconstruction and economic reforms in Bosnia, Bildt stressed that he believed a solution would be found within the next 50 days. #L# He stressed that the Serb side was ready to accept a unified state bank and currency. Bildt called on the Republika srpska authorities to abandon the Yugoslav dinar and thus avoid economic catastrophe. US Assistant Finance Secretary, David Lipton, who was also present at the Economy Forum, said that Bosnian Serbs had to choose whether they were to connect with Serbia and thus follow its economic decline, or whether they were to participate in the reconstruction of Bosnia-Herzegovina which is to progress economically. Bildt said that Serbian President Milosevic's possible retirement from the political stage caused by an economic catastrophe would not put the Dayton Agreement into jeopardy. None of the signatories of the Dayton Agreement had been to Dayton or Paris on behalf of themselves, but on behalf of their countries. Politicians leave, countries' commitments remain, Bildt said. (hina) lm 121907 MET jan 97