ELECTIONS TECHNICALLY CORRECT BUT FAR FROM DEMOCRATIC - OSCE

( Editorial: --> 3341 ) SARAJEVO, 24 Nov (Hina) - The Monitoring Mission of the Office for Human Rights of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which supervised parliamentary elections in Republika Srpska, on Monday issued a preliminary report. The elections were implemented in a technically correct way, but in an environment which was far from democratic standards, the report said. The head of the Monitoring Mission, Javier Ruperez, who is also co- chairing the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, said the elections should be viewed only as a part of the process which is aimed at solving the current political crisis in the Bosnian Serb entity. The process will be effective only if political parties take serious steps toward the implementation of all segments of the Dayton agreement, Ruperez told reporters in Sarajevo Monday. Some 150 monitors, whose mission was financed by OSCE member- states, visited more than 80 polling stations in Republika Srpska last week. Experience from last year's and this year's elections in Bosnia- Herzegovina have proved that their implementation could not have been possible without the OSCE mission. Considerable presence of OSCE representatives would be necessary in the elections scheduled for next year, said Ruperez. (hina) rm . 241548 MET nov 97