TECHNICAL TALKS ON BOSNIAN POLICE REFORM CONTINUE TODAY

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (September 18,2007) – Talks on Bosnian police reform will continue today at the level of experts from the eight leading political parties in Bosnia.The reform was proposed by the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia,Miroslav Lajcak.

The Office of the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia (OHR) Spokesperson Eldar Subasic told Bosnian media yesterday that the participants have been submitted a summary of all the comments made by the parties’ representatives at the last meeting, in order for them to prepare for today’s meeting.

”We expect the participants to approach this round of talks constructively and responsibly. We have no time to waste if we want an agreement to be reached by the end of the month”, he said.

SDA Party representative Semsudin Mehmedovic said that he expects the talks to be more productive than they had been a week ago; that is, that the issues are solved and aligned at a faster pace.

”Our goal is to make a functional structure. We will try not to deal with the ‘tough issues’”, he said.

Social-Democratic Party (SDP BiH) has a clear attitude – police reform must be implemented, Damir Hadzic told Bosnian press.

”The key parties, primarily SBiH Party and the SNSD Party need to find a compromising solution”, he said.

Hadzic announced that the SDP BiH will be a correctional factor in an attempt to find a solution. That means a better police structure. A structure which would be able to deal with criminals.

”Whether or not those sitting at the Bosnian Parliament will accept this, I do not know. If wish that happened, for the sake of the Bosnian citizens”; Damir Hadzic, SDP BiH Party representative said.