HVO SAYS NOT BEHIND FORCIBLE EVICTIONS IN WEST MOSTAR

SARAJEVO, Dec 21 (Hina) - The NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR) in Bosnia-Herzegovina said on Saturday that it had received assurances from top Croatian Defence Council (HVO) officials that their troops were not behind forcible apartment evictions in west Mostar. SFOR deputy commander Gen. Roderick Cordy-Simpson and International Police Task Force deputy commissioner Robert Wasserman met two days ago with HVO chief of staff Gen. Zivko Budimir, who told them that if any HVO troops had been involved in such incidents it had occurred without permission, SFOR spokesman Jan Joosten said in Sarajevo. Budimir pledged that necessary steps would be taken against any HVO troops who may attempt to act against the law. Joosten went on to say that inspections of military depots and police stations were continuing according to previously set plans. Ten such places were inspected on Friday, when SFOR took over from the peace Implementation Force (IFOR). On Thursday, 76 unauthorized rifles and one pistol were seized from an HVO facility in Zepce, Joosten said. (hina) vm 211332 MET dec 96