ASHDOWN DISMISSES BOSNIAN SERB SUPREME DEFENCE BODY
Thursday, April 03, 2003 1:59:42 AM
Sarajevo, April 2 (ANTARA/dpa)
The international community's high representative to Bosnia Paddy Ashdown on Wednesday dismissed the supreme Bosnian Serb defense body after it failed to prevent Bosnian Serb illegal weapons trade with Iraq.
`I have abolished the Supreme Defense Council of the (Bosnian Serb entity,) Srpska Republic, which failed to prevent these violations while succeeding in obscuring clear political responsibilities and duties,` Ashdown said.
Even though it was supposed to advise top Bosnian Serb officials on military activities, the Council, he said, failed to do so, causing severe damage to the Bosnian Serb entity and the entire state of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Ashdown announced his decision soon after the head of Bosnia Herzegovina`s tripartite Presidency Mirko Sarovic resigned.
According to the allegations, Sarovic was presiding over the Srpska Republic at the time the Bosnian Serb company Orao signed a contract to export certain weapon components to Iraq, directly violating the United Nations sanctions against that country |
