INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AIDS RESTRUCTURING OF BOSNIAN SERB MEDIA

( Editorial: --> 2262 ) SARAJEVO, Feb 16 (Hina) - The international community will secure significant financial and technical support to achieve as soon as possible the restructuring of the entire Bosnian Serb radio and television system, an international official said on Monday. Spokesman for the Office of the High Representative for the implementation of the Dayton Agreement, Simon Haselock, said representatives of the Bosnian Serb government had agreed to the distribution of such aid. "This (aid) will help Serb Radio and Television (SRT) to start functioning according to principles valid for public services in western democracies," Haselock said. In accordance with the agreement, all broadcasting transmitters under SFOR control will be returned to Bosnian Serb authorities. Following this the High Representative's Office considers that it would be unnecessary for the highly expensive satellite transmission of signals from Banja Luka into the eastern parts of the Bosnian Serb entity to continue. Satellite transmission was established after representatives of the authorities in Pale ordered its technicians to dismantle and hide equipment from the key transmitter Veliki Zep. This equipment has not been returned up to now despite Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Milorad Dodik's new government ordering "specific people" to do this, Haselock said. (Hina) 161531 MET feb 98