SARAJEVO TO BID FOR HOSTING 2006 OLYMPICS

( Editorial: --> 8329 ) SARAJEVO, Apr 21 (Hina) - Bosnia's capital Sarajevo will run for hosting the Winter Olympics in 2006, Sarajevo Canton Prefect Midhat Haracic said Tuesday. Sarajevo media reported that during talks with representatives of the Alliance of Slovenes living in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Haracic announced that Sarajevo's bid could officially be made public in February 1999, when the capital will mark the 15th anniversary since the successfully organised 1984 Winter Olympics. It was announced the president of the International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch, would attend the 15th anniversary celebration. Samaranch should on that occasion open the reconstructed sports hall Zetra, completely demolished during the conflict. Reconstruction should begin these days with assistance from the International Olympic Committee. "We know the competition will be strong, but if we present ourselves politically as a united state of BH, then we have a chance", Prefect Haracic said today. "Sarajevo has an image and represents something in the eyes of the world, and I'm sure we would have a good organisation", Haracic said speaking about the motives which prompted musings on the capital's candidacy. (hina) ha 211305 MET apr 98