UNITED STATES BACKS REPLACEMENTS IN BOSNIAN FEDERATION'S ARMY

SARAJEVO, April 3 (Hina) - The Embassy of the United States in Sarajevo on Tuesday issued a statement saying that it fully supports the decision of the Croat member of Bosnia-Herzegovina's three-man Presidency, Jozo Krizanovic, to dismiss the commander and deputy commander of the First Croat Guards Corps, Zlatan Mijo Jelic and Mario Bradara respectively. According to the statement, the decision on the replacement and suspension of General Jelic and Brigadier Bradara is the adequate response to the violation of the law on the defence of the Bosnian (Croat-Moslem) Federation and the Dayton agreement. The US embassy in particular condemns Jelic's and Bradara's call on officers and soldiers (in the Croat component of the federal army) to oppose the constitutional and legal bodies of authority of the Bosnian Federation. The embassy's statement called on Croat members of the federal army to respect the rule of law and follow orders issued by the legally appointed civilian command (i.e. by Krizanovic and Defence Minister Mijo Anic). The Sarajevo media on Tuesday reported that the Croat-Moslem federal authorities would soon press charges against several military staff and civilians implicated in attempts to undermine the constitutional order and stir up the army to rebel against new authorities. (hina) ms