HERZEGOVINA CANTON INTERIOR MINISTER MEETS REHN

MOSTAR, March 24 (Hina) - The UN special rapporteur for human rights in the former Yugoslavia, Elizabeth Rehn, being on tour to Bosnia-Herzegovina since yesterday, on Monday met Herzegovina- Neretva Canton interior minister Valentin Coric and his deputy Sefkija Dziho in Mostar's 'Ero' hotel, the interior ministry said. They had discussed results of the investigation of February 10 distressing events, organisation of canton police and the return of refugees. Minister Coric stressed that the process of canton police organisation was blocked due to failure to remove sleeping policemen on Moslem-controlled Bulevar-Donja Mahala road as well as due to impossibility of guarantying safety and security to Croat policemen in the building of Mostar joint police. Coric also informed Rehn that a probe into February 10 events had been finished and that charges had been brought against 16 participants in the events as well as that commander and deputy commander of western Mostar police had been relieved of duty. Asked about reasons for issuing the indictment against Deputy Mayor Safet Orucevic and his associates, Coric replied that they had been orginisers of a rally which had had to be announced to police in due time and for which permission had to be obtained. On Monday also, Rehn met Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Head, Fatima Leho, and visited southern towns of Capljina and Stolac where she held talks with local authorities on the human rights situation and possibilities of the return of refugees. (hina) jn mš 241904 MET mar 97