1997 CRUCIAL FOR CONSOLIDATION OF PEACE IN BOSNIA - BILDT

SARAJEVO, Nov 21 (Hina) - International peace coordinator Carl Bildt said in Sarajevo on Thursday that the next year would be crucial for consolidation of lasting peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Speaking at a news conference marking the first anniversary of the signing of the Dayton peace agreement, Bildt stressed the need to establish joint institutions as soon as possible and to start the process of comprehensive economic reforms. These two processes were mutually linked and the international community would not provide financial assistance until joint institutions of power were established, Bildt warned. He announced that a new donors' conference would be held in Brussels early next month. Bildt called on the members of the Bosnian Presidency to harmonize their views on establishing a Council of Ministers. He said that the return of refugees depended on the creation of political conditions. Bildt rejected the possibility of international military forces taking care of security conditions to enable the return, stressing that responsibility for that lay with political leaders of the country. Bosnia-Herzegovina is not and should not be an international protectorate, he said. (hina) vm jn 211718 MET nov 96