SARAJEVO, 15 Sept (Hina) - The chief commander of the international Implementation Force (IFOR) in Bosnia, Admiral Joseph Lopez, and NATO Rapid Reaction Force commander, General Michael Walker on Sunday stated that they were satisfied
with the way yesterday's elections had been conducted. Although yesterday's elections were only the beginning, they still represented a step in the right direction, the two officials said.
SARAJEVO, 15 Sept (Hina) - The chief commander of the international
Implementation Force (IFOR) in Bosnia, Admiral Joseph Lopez, and
NATO Rapid Reaction Force commander, General Michael Walker on
Sunday stated that they were satisfied with the way yesterday's
elections had been conducted. Although yesterday's elections were
only the beginning, they still represented a step in the right
direction, the two officials said. #L#
IFOR's main task in Bosnia in the next period would be to
support the office of the high international representative Carl
Bildt in establishing new institutions of authority, especially the
central Government, and in the creation of conditions for the
further implementation of the peace process.
The dynamics of that process would depend on which military
units the international community was going to keep in Bosnia after
20 December, when IFOR troops should withdraw from Bosnia, Lopez
said.
General Walker stressed that IFOR would continue its mission
with same determination, regardless of possible new decisions.
Asked whether IFOR could use some of the experience gathered during
the elections in the next period, Walker said that the physical
freedom of movement could be established, but no one could force
people to live together if they did not want to.
Kris Janowski, spokesman for the United Nations High
Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) said, however, that a rather small
number of people decided to cross the inter-entity boundary and
vote in the other entity yesterday.
The reason for that could be the postponement of municipal
elections but it was also beyond any doubt that many people had
been intimidated, Janowski said.
Freedom of movement at yesterday's elections was far from
satisfactory.
According to UNHCR reports, Bosnian Serb police prevented
Bosniac-Muslim refugees from choosing the place in which to vote.
Republika Srpska authorities had set up special polling
stations for Bosniac refugees, mainly outside of residential areas.
In the village of Kopaci, Serb authorities prevented the voting of
some 500-600 Bosniacs, who had been expelled from the area,
Janowski said.
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