INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION TRIBUNAL ANNOUNCES BRCKO DECISION

ROME, Feb 14 (Hina) - The status of the northern Bosnian town of Brcko will not be changed for the time being and international forces will monitor the return of refugees to the area, international arbitration commission chairman Roberts Owen said in Rome on Friday. The US arbiter was accompanied by Contact Group representatives and High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina Carl Bildt. The final decision by the arbitration tribunal was not signed by Cazim Sadikovic of the Moslem-Croat Federation and Serb representative Vitomir Popovic. Bildt described the decision as an important step in the peace process, expressing a hope that it would be well received by the authorities of the Federation, the Serb entity and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The task of international peace forces will be to ensure freedom of movement in the Brcko area, including on all key roads, bridges and Sava port facilities. International forces must also ensure the normal, democratic functioning of local government and the safety of all citizens of Bosnia-Herzegovina within that area. A US supervisor for the Brcko area will be appointed and will be responsible to High Representative for Civilian Affairs Carl Bildt. The scope of his activities will be decided at a meeting of the Council for the Implementation of the Peace Agreement in Brussels on February 19. With the assistance of the UN High Commission for Refugees, the supervisor should ensure the return of refugees to Brcko, and in cooperation with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe he should organize free and fair local elections before the end of the international supervision. After the elections, he should help establish a new government in the area. The international community is obliged to provide economic aid to the area and revitalize the Sava port to the interest of both parties. The international arbitration tribunal will be receiving any possible requests regarding today's decision between December 15 this year and January 15, 1998. Any further decision would be made by March 15. (hina) vm jn 141551 MET feb 97