SDS MUST GET RID OF KARADZIC - STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN

WASHINGTON, July 2 (Hina) - The United States Administration on Tuesday informed the Serb Democratic Party (SDS), whose leader is Radovan Karadzic, that it might be disqualified from elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina unless it removed its president. State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns said that if Karadzic decided to remain in power and keep his leadership of SDS, the party would not be able to endure the temptation to its legitimacy which the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe would put upon it, in case it presented candidates for the 14 September elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Burns said that if SDS wanted to play a role in the political life of the country, it must get rid of Karadzic, a war crime suspect. He added that the Administration, even though it gave precedence to Karadzic's going to The Hague, considered that the Bosnian Serb leader must at least be removed from power and not use his influence before elections. Burns reiterated that sanctions against Serbia and Bosnian Serbs remained as an option, but without deadlines for reintroducing them. (hina) ha 022252 MET jul 96