EU ADMINISTRATOR OF MOSTAR AND IFOR COMMANDER HOLD TALKS

MOSTAR, Jan 14 - The EU Administrator of Mostar, Hans Koschnik, received the IFOR (Implementation Force) commander Admiral Leighton Smith on Sunday. "We talked about principles which IFOR must have as a military organization and principles which we must have as a civilian organization," Koschnik said after the meeting. According to him, the problem of maintaining peace on the Balkans is under the authority of the IFOR, and the problem of preserving peace in Mostar is under the authority of his administration in the city. "I need the help of both police forces, and it is necessary that they be united," the EU Administrator said. Describing today's talks as very good Admiral Smith stressed that the leadership of the Federation had signed some things including the uniting of the police in Mostar. Smith held that "what Koschnik is doing is a key element in Mostar." "We have agreed that I have no responsibility for what is happening in Mostar," the IFOR commander Smith said adding that the responsibility lay with civilian structures. Smith and Koschnik agreed that the IFOR should have liaison officers with the EU Administration of Mostar. Admiral Smith said that some IFOR troops had been already assisting in Mostar, referring to the patrols along the "Bulevar" street. He added that IFOR would continue to assist in the city if necessary. Asked whether the latest developments in Mostar constituted a threat to the Federation, the American Admiral replied that "unless the problem in Mostar is solved, we will have problems at the level of Federation as well." Asked to comment on the situation in Usora (northern Bosnia) he said he had no information yet. (hina) mms 141116 MET jan 96