BOSNIAN ELECTION RESULTS MUST BE IMPLEMENTED - GELBARD

SARAJEVO, Sept 15 (Hina) - A U.S. special envoy for the Dayton peace accords' implementation, Robert Gelbard, on Monday said that local elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina, held over the weekend, were an important step in consolidation of democratic processes in the country. The U.S. diplomat said that election results must be implemented regardless of possible opposition. In Sarajevo Gelbard met Bosnia-Herzegovina's collective Presidency's chairman, Alija Izetbegovic. He said he had notified Izetbegovic of the concern of Washington over the security situation in the Central Bosnian Canton, particularly due to the killing and abuse of Croats who have returned to their houses. The U.S. diplomat stressed that he had demanded a resolute action aimed at preventing such attacks. He added that Izetbegovic had assumed responsibility for the conduct of an unbiased probe into cases. Izetbegovic and Gelbard talked about some incidents that had happened during the municipal elections. They discussed in particular the incident in Velika Kladusa in which a member of the Democratic People's Community was a victim. Gelbard said that local police had arrested a man believed to be accountable for the attack. (hina) jn mš 151732 MET sep 97