CROAT, BOSNIAK REPS FAIL TO REACH AGREEMENT ON JOINT POLICE

MOSTAR, 7 July (Hina) - Representatives of the Croat and Bosniak peoples in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton on Monday failed to reach an agreement on the establishment of joint police forces in the canton. Today's meeting between the Croat and Bosniak representatives was attended by the International Police Task Force (IPTF) commissioner for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Manfred Seitner. After the meeting, Seitner issued a statement expressing regret over the fact that the Bosnian Croat authorities refused to accept three basic principles which are necessary for the establishment of joint police forces in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton. #L# The three vital principles, the statement said, were included in an amendment to the agreement on the restructuring of the canton police force, which was accepted by the Bosniak but not the Bosnian Croat authorities. According to the amendment, the agreement is to follow three principles: there will be one police officer on 250 residents of the canton; the ethnic structure of the Interior Ministry members will reflect the 1991 census, in accordance with the Bonn-Petersberg agreement of 24 April 1996; and the full implementation of the agreement will be completed by 15 September 1997 at the latest, Seitner's statement said. (hina) rm 072220 MET jul 97