E.U., U.S. ISSUE JOINT COMMUNIQUE ON BOSNIAN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

ELECTIONS $ LUXEMBOURG, Sept 11 (Hina) - European Union's political directors troika held a meeting with the US Assistant State Secretary for European Affairs, Marc Grossman in Luxembourg on Wednesday. The EU representatives and U.S. issued a joint communiqué about the municipal elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Luxembourg Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday. #L# "We understand that the HDZ of Bosnia-Herzegovina has announced a boycott of the forthcoming municipal elections and that the Pale leadership of the SDS is also threatening to boycott the elections. We are deeply concerned by these reports," the communiqué said. The EU and US ask that "all threats of boycotts be dropped and that all Bosnians be encouraged to fully exercise their right to elect local + leaders, as provided for in the Dayton Peace Agreement". Another decision to postpone the elections would be "totally unacceptable," the statement said. We specifically call on Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, as signatories to Dayton, to use their influence to prevent boycotts of the BiH municipal elections and to urge all Bosnians to fully participate. Actions on this issue will be an essential element in the development of relations between the EU and the U.S. and countries of the region," the communiqué said. (hina) lm jn 111623 MET sep 97