SARAJEVO, 10 Nov (Hina) - Considerable results have been achieved in strengthening the Croat-Muslim Federation's institutions and the establishment of its bodies of authority one year after the signing of the Dayton peace agreement,
said Michael Steiner, deputy to the high representative for the implementation of the peace agreement. The future of the Federation project, however, would depend on whether refugees and displaced people would be allowed to return to their homes, Steiner told reporters in Sarajevo Sunday.
SARAJEVO, 10 Nov (Hina) - Considerable results have been achieved
in strengthening the Croat-Muslim Federation's institutions and the
establishment of its bodies of authority one year after the signing
of the Dayton peace agreement, said Michael Steiner, deputy to the
high representative for the implementation of the peace agreement.
The future of the Federation project, however, would depend on
whether refugees and displaced people would be allowed to return to
their homes, Steiner told reporters in Sarajevo Sunday. #L#
The Dayton agreement, signed by Bosnia's Croat and Muslim
peoples, as well as Croatia's President Franjo Tudjman, was the
basis of the overall peace agreement for Bosnia-Herzegovina and it
had resulted in huge changes in the past period, Steiner said.
Those changes were the strengthening of the Federation's bodies of
authority, the improvement of freedom of movement and the
improvement of mutual trust. Through a joint customs system, the
Federation had gathered 250 million dollars, which was very
important for its functioning, Steiner said, describing as positive
the establishment of all ten cantons as well as the establishment
of united city authorities in Mostar.
Steiner confirmed that the International Police Task Force
(IPTF) and Implementation Force (IFOR) would take decisive actions
in order to contribute to the stabilisation of the situation in
Mostar.
IPTF commissioner Peter Fitzgerald has demanded that members
of special police units and armed guards be removed from western
Mostar by 8 o'clock on 12 November.
According to estimations of Bildt's office, there have been
some 100 armed guards and 300 to 400 members of special police
forces in western Mostar so far. Those police forces were described
as paramilitary.
At the forthcoming conferences on the implementation of the
peace agreement, which are to be held in Paris and London, the
office of the high international peace mediator would demand an
even clearer mandate so as to be able to work more decisively on
the implementation of the agreement and remove present obstacles,
Steiner said, adding he did not intend to remain on his current
post after the expiry of his mandate at the end of this year.
(hina) rm
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