NATO SECRETARY GENERAL PLEASED WITH BOSNIA ELECTIONS

ZAGREB, Sept 15 (Hina) - NATO Secretary General Javier Solana is pleased that municipal elections held in Bosnia-Herzegovina over the weekend have been a success, NATO's press service said in a statement on Monday. Solana congratulated the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) "for its steadfastness in overcoming many obstacles and for its excellent organisation of the elections." He also commended the NATO-led peace Stabilisation Force (SFOR) for providing "an environment of security without which the elections could not have taken place nor have passed off so smoothly." "SFOR also provided essential planning and logistic support to the OSCE both before and during the elections. Their success is once again testimony to the close cooperation between NATO and the OSCE." The statement said that SFOR would now work closely with the OSCE and all other international organisations involved to ensure that the election results were fully implemented. Solana urged all the political parties of Bosnia- Herzegovina to respect the democratic decision of the Bosnian people. (hina) vm 151352 MET sep 97