TOP BOSNIAN MOSLEM,CROAT OFFICIALS DISCUSS STRENGTHENING OF FEDERATION

FEDERATION $ SARAJEVO, Aug 20 (Hina) - Senior Bosnian Moslem and Croat officials met in Sarajevo on Wednesday to discuss additional measures aimed at strengthening the Bosnian Federation. The Forum of the Bosnian Federation was chaired by US Embassy Charge d'Affaires Robert Beecroft and Deputy High Representative Gerd Wagner, said a statement released after the meeting. The participants reaffirmed their commitment to agreements on the establishment of a joint police force in the Hercegovina- Neretva canton, which should be completed by August 22. Until that time, the police force of the Central Bosnia canton should be reorganised. The Forum agreed that joint legal services should be set up in the two cantons to support reorganised police forces. The meeting concluded that the reorganisation of federal police forces should be completed by September 9. It supported the return of refugees and urged adoption of a programme of the return of refugees to the Central Bosnia canton by August 25. The forum condemned recent attacks on returnees to Bugojno and Stolac, assessing that such incidents would not prevent refugee returns. It urged police to investigate the incidents and release their findings by September 1, demanding that the perpetrators be prosecuted. The meeting condemned violent demonstrations aimed at preventing the return of Serb refugees to the Sarajevo district of Vogosca and the suburb of Lukavica. The president and vice president of the Federation pledged they would do their utmost to remove obstacles faced by returnees. It was concluded that federal authorities would urgently change property relations laws which proved an obstacle to the return process, and that the federal parliament would adopt laws drafted by the Office of the High Representative. Top federal officials pledged they would make every effort to ensure compliance of local authorities with new legislation so that refugees could return to their homes. The participants took note of the determination of the international community that the assembly of the Hercegovina- Neretva canton should adopt an amendment to the cantonal constitution in line with the interim statute of the town of Mostar and the agreement of June 6. (hina) vm 202025 MET aug 97