Bosnia still needs international supervision: top official

(SARAJEVO) - Bosnia still needs international supervision, the high representative in Bosnia Valentin Inzko said Thursday, urging local authorities to double efforts in introducing reforms.

The Peace Implementation Council in Bosnia (PIC), grouping representatives of 55 countries and international organisations, held a two-day meeting in Sarajevo and "is entirely dissatisfied" with the weak progress achieved since its last session in November, Inzko said.

"It is necessary to redouble efforts" to meet conditions needed to close the office of the High representative of the international community (OHR), Inzko told a press conference.

The PIC is charged with implementing the Dayton peace agreement, the accord that ended the 1992-1995 war in which about 100,000 people died.

Efforts should be stepped up notably in listing state and military property, one of the key points of discord between the two post-war Bosnian entities, the Serb-run Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation, he said.

The international community wants to bring the mandate of the High representative in Bosnia to an end to speed up reforms in the country and its European integration.

But it has been postponed several times, due to political instability.

The plan is to transform the OHR -- which allows the High representative to dismiss elected officials and impose laws -- into the office of the European Union special envoy to Bosnia.

"The international community supports such transition, but it will not be done until all conditions are met," Inzko said.

In a statement issued after the meeting, the PIC said that Bosnia can not apply for EU membership before the OHR ends its function.