BOSNIAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS CHAIRMAN ACCUSES CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER OF CYNICISM

SARAJEVO, Sept 27 (Hina) - The chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Dragan Mikerevic, on Friday condemned a statement by Croatia's Foreign Minister Tonino Picula when he described the Croatian army's operation in the Medak Pocket in 1993 as anti-terrorist, renouncing any accusations of ethnic cleansing. #L# "I am shocked by Minister Picula's statement who portrayed the military operation in Medak Pocket as an anti-terrorist act aimed at perserving order, protecting people and property, and by his rejection of claims that the objective of the operation was in fact ethnic cleansing," a statement by Mikerevic delivered to Hina in Sarajevo said. The chairman of the Council of Ministers believes that Picula's explanation of the reasons for not extraditing General Janko Bobetko to the Hague tribunal is "the most cynical act with which the Croatian Foreign Minister is trying to blur the facts not only before the Serb people, but the international community also". In his statement, Mikerevic accuses the Croatian army of killing children, elderly people and others who were leaving their homes in refugee columns. He also notes that statements like the one by Minister Picula could seriously threaten relations within Bosnia and in the region. Dragan Mikerevic is a member of the Party of Democratic Progress (PDP) headed by the premier of Republika Srpska, Mladen Ivanic, whom international circles consider a moderate nationalist. Mikerevic is also that party's candidate for the Bosnian Presidency member at the election to be held on October 5. The Bosnian Foreign Ministry said that Mikerevic's statement was exclusively his own personal opinion given without any consultation with other members of the Council of Ministers or Foreign Minister Zlatko Lagumdzija. The Foreign Ministry has completely distanced itself from Mikerevic's statement. (hina) sp sb lml