WESTENDORP DECIDES TO OPEN MOSTAR AIRPORT

( Editorial: --> 0248 ) SARAJEVO, March 17 (Hina) - The international community's High Representative for the implementation of the Dayton agreement, Carlos Westendorp, on Tuesday decided that the Mostar airport will be open for civil flights within a month and would be run by a special committee in which Croats and Bosniaks would have an equal number of positions. The High Representative Office's spokesman, Simon Haselock, announced today in Sarajevo that it was decided that the mayor and deputy mayor of Mostar would each nominate three persons for the seven member committee. The seventh person would be nominated by the High Representative and that person would also be the chairperson, said Haselock. This decision was made because the interested sides found it impossible to achieve an agreement after months of discussion, said Haselock. It is foreseen that this solution will be valid for six months. During that period, a long term solution for the management of the Mostar airport should be found. Haselock said that the High Representative exercised his powers to meet the extensive economic needs of the Mostar area. (hina) mm mrb/rm 171425 MET mar 98