NEW REGIONAL OFFICE OF HIGH REPRESENTATIVE OPENED IN DERVENTA

( Editorial: --> 4025 ) SARAJEVO/DERVENTA, June 26 (Hina) - A regional office of the High Representative in charge of implementation of the Dayton agreement was opened in Derventa, northern Bosnia-Herzegovina, on Friday. The main task of the office is to secure a more speedy return of displaced people and refugees. High Representative Carlos Westendorp recently expressed serious concern over the slow progress in the return of refugees and confirmed determination to change that situation, said a statement issued today by the Office of the High Representative (OHR) in Sarajevo. As part of this decision, any allocation of help will be made conditional on certain factors. The decision also includes the replacement of those officials who are unwilling to cooperate or are hampering the return, the statement said. The OHR also recalls that Derventa is one of the largest towns in the Sava River valley (Posavina) which had a mixed ethnic structure before the war. A large number of Croat refugees now wish to return to the town. The population in the pre-war Derventa was 40.8 per cent Serb, 39 per cent Croat and 12.6 per cent Muslim. The town was seized by the Bosnian Serbs and is today in Republika Srpska, cleared of non-Serb residents. Today's opening of the regional office was attended by Westendorp's deputy Hanns Schumacher. (hina) jn rml 262200 MET jun 98