E.U. CALLS FOR FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF ELECTION RESULTS IN BOSNIA

LUXEMBOURG, Oct 6 (Hina) - The Council of Ministers of the European Union began a two-day session in Luxembourg on Monday to discuss, among other things, the developments in the former Yugoslavia, particularly in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Yugoslav federation of Serbia and Montenegro. In a statement released after the meeting, the Council stressed the importance of the full and speedy implementation of the results of the municipal elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Although the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) had not yet certified election results in all areas, the ministers stressed the importance of the full and speedy establishment of new government bodies on the basis of election results. The Council said that pressure should be maintained in order to ensure compliance with the deadlines agreed in Sintra for the implementation of provisions of the Dayton peace agreement. Only those parties which honour their commitments and cooperate with the peace process can count on the support of the European Union, the statement said. Speaking as a representative of the country which was to assume the rotating presidency from Luxembourg, Britain's Minister for European Affairs Doug Henderson proposed that in the future it should be stated clearly and unambiguously to whom and for what funds were to be provided. It should be recognisable to every citizen of Bosnia- Herzegovina that the Dayton accords are supported with EU funds, Henderson said. The British proposal was backed by other ministers, including EU External Affairs Commissioner Hans van der Broek. The Council also assessed an agreement reached by Bosnian Serb leaders Biljana Plavsic and Momcilo Krajisnik in Belgrade on September 24. Accepting their agreement on holding parliamentary elections in the Serb entity of Bosnia-Herzegovina on November 23, the Council concluded that they must be conducted under OSCE supervision. It was reiterated that EU aid to the Bosnian Serb Republic would depend on how parliamentary, and subsequently presidential, elections would be conducted there. The EU would support only those projects which it deemed were helping the peace process and only those parties in the Serb Republic which supported that process. The Council reaffirmed the importance of the role of media, emphasising that the media in Bosnia-Herzegovina, particularly in the Serb Republic, must refrain from any propaganda which would threaten the peace process or incite violence, and that they were obliged to abide by international standards on the freedom of media. The Council reiterated the need for rapid implementation of the agreements on the restructuring of the police in Bosnia- Herzegovina. During a discussion on Yugoslavia, the Council expressed grave concern over a possible deterioration in the situation in Yugoslavia's southern province of Kosovo. It called on the Belgrade government and Kosovo Albanians to open a dialogue on disputed issues. The Council instructed EU bodies to prepare the opening of an EU office in the Kosovo capital of Pristina. The Council would again discuss relations with Yugoslavia on November 10 since it was assessed that necessary conditions for cooperation between the EU and Belgrade had not yet been met. (hina) vm 062042 MET oct 97