FORMER CHIEF OF UN'S MISSION IN B-H HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE

( Editorial: --> 3318 ) SARAJEVO, Jan 9 (Hina) - International troops should stay in Bosnia-Herzegovina without significant cuts in the number of personnel even after the termination of the current mandate of the NATO-led Stabilisation Force in June this year, former head of the UN Mission in BH, Kai Eide, told reporters in Sarajevo Friday. Eide said it was the SFOR that was keeping peace in Bosnia, adding international troops should not be significantly reduced, since the climate to do so had not yet been ensured. He assessed the reorganisation of local police in Bosnia as the UN Mission's most important achievement of last year. Now is the time to reform the judiciary, he added. There is no point in having a professional police if the judiciary is not up to the same level, said Eide. He warned that the mistakes from the war time should not be repeated in peace time. Goals should not be set without having ensured funds for their implementation, Eide said. The UN Mission's budget in Bosnia is US$ 180 million, but is insufficient to achieve the goals set at a recent Bonn conference, he said. (hina) ha mm 091620 MET jan 98