WESTENDORP'S DECISION ON CITIZENSHIP LAW NOT TO BE DISCUSSED

( Editorial: --> 9042 ) SARAJEVO, Dec 17 (Hina) - The decision of the international High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina on the coming into effect of a law on Bosnian citizenship does not have to be discussed or certified by the Bosnian parliament or any other body of authority, the High Representative's spokesman, Simon Haselock, told reporters in Sarajevo Wednesday. The law on citizenship was necessary, as without it, a law on passports, adopted by the parliament's houses, would have no practical meaning, Haselock said. High Representative Carlos Westendorp expects that as a body of executive authority, the Bosnian Council of Ministers will now make practical steps for these laws to be applied, the spokesman said. According to Haselock, Westendorp will if necessary continue to exercise authorities accorded to him by the Dayton peace agreement and the conclusions of a recent Bonn conference of the Peace Implementation Council for Bosnia. Speaking about the standpoints of Bosnia's three sides concerning a decision on the law on citizenship, Haselock said the first reactions differed. Some think it was high time to start applying these measures, while others believed they represented a dictate, he said. (hina) ha jn 171551 MET dec 97