IPTF ORDERS REMOVAL OF "UNACCEPTABLE PORTRAITS" IN POLICE STATIONS

( Editorial: --> 0820 ) SARAJEVO, Feb 10 (Hina) - The International Police Task Force (IPTF) on Tuesday demanded all police stations in Bosnia- Herzegovina fully respect its order banning the display of national symbols and photographs of war crimes suspects or leaders of foreign countries. IPTF Commissioner Manfred Seitner ordered that such "unacceptable" symbols and photographs be removed from police stations. If this is not done, the responsible police officers will be dismissed from their duties, UN spokesman in Sarajevo Alexander Ivanko said on Tuesday. The warning came as a direct result of yesterday's visit by UN Mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina chief Elizabeth Rehn to a Bosnian Serb police station in Kula near Sarajevo, which still has a portrait of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, who has been indicted for war crimes, displayed. These portraits should also not be in places such as the offices of mayors and police chiefs, Ivanko said. Ivanko mentioned that the IPTF command also received regular reports that several offices in the Mostar area of southern Bosnia- Herzegovina had displayed portraits of Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, which also would not be tolerated. "As far as we know, President Tudjman is not an official of Bosnia- Herzegovina or the (Muslim-Croat) Federation and this is a reason why we are again raising this issue," Ivanko said. (Hina) jn mb 101643 MET feb 98