APPREHENSION OF WAR CRIMINALS CAN NO LONGER BE AVOIDED - BILDT

SARAJEVO, Dec 5 (Hina) - International community High Representative for the implementation of the civilian part of the peace agreement for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Carl Bildt, held that avoiding to bring war criminals to justice had turned into a scandal which could no longer be tolerated, Bildt's spokesman Colum Murphy said in Sarajevo on Thursday. Bildt was also concerned about other important issues such as the freedom of movement, the return of refugees or economic reconstruction, but the apprehension of war criminals was becoming a more and more important priority, Murphy said. Bildt would like to finally see a concrete plan for the resolution of the problem and the final shift from words to action, he added. The issue of apprehending war criminals, in the context of the London Conference, has become especially significant because its organizer, the British Foreign Office, had invited representatives of the International Tribunal in The Hague only as observers. Murphy refused to comment on the fact, so did a UN spokesman who usually speaks on behalf of the Hague Tribunal. The Sarajevan media have paid special attention to the protest forwarded by the International Criminal Tribunal to the British government. In that context, the question of who was actually obstructing the apprehension of criminals was brought up again. At Thursday's news conference, reporters were handed Bildt's speech at the London conference. Bildt asked of the international community to show readiness to bring war criminals before the Tribunal, as sides, signatories of the Dayton Agreement were avoiding the fulfillment of their commitments and the apprehension of war crimes suspects. (hina) lm jn 051504 MET dec 96