STABILITY IN BH IS NATO'S LONG-TERM INTEREST - SOLANA

SARAJEVO, July 30 (Hina) - NATO's highest officials on Wednesday once again demanded of parties in Bosnia-Herzegovina to entirely comply with the provisions of the Dayton accord, and warned that possible attacks against members of the Stabilization Force would not be tolerated. With its engagement in Bosnia NATO offered a chance for its reconstruction and this chance must not be rejected, NATO Secretary General Javier Solana said at a ceremony at which U.S. General Eric Shinseki replaced U.S. General William Crouch as SFOR's chief commander. Stability in BH represents NATO's long-term interest, Solana said, adding that nobody must count on solving current problems by military means. A military option shall not be allowed, the only option is peace and cooperation, the NATO Secretary General said. According to General Wesley Clark, NATO's chief commander in Europe, who also attended today's ceremony, SFOR shall carry out its mandate entirely, but politicians in BH may create conditions for permanent peace and stability. The 55-year-old new chief commander of SFOR Shinseki said that the fundamental aim of his soldiers is the keeping of peace. This means, he said, that in case of necessity we shall undertake decisive measures. Shinseki assessed his mission in BH as very challenging. In answer to a journalist's question, he said that his soldiers would not chase war criminals, but arrest them when and if circumstances allow to do so. (hina) ha mm 301641 MET jul 97