Bosnia Serb region's president dies of heart attack

BANJA LUKA, Bosnia, Sep 30 (Reuters) The president of Bosnia's Serb Republic Milan Jelic died today of a heart attack in hospital in central Bosnia, doctors and politicians said.

''President of Republika Srpska Milan Jelic died,'' Serb Republic Prime Minister Milorad Dodik told the regional television. ''This is a sad day for Republika Srpska.'' Jelic, 51, was elected last October at the mostly ceremonial post of the region's president, following the general election.

Bosnia is made up of the Serb Republic and the Muslim-Croat federation, the two autonomous regions created under the 1995 Dayton peace accords that ended the 1992-95 war.

Jelic was also the president of Bosnia's Football Association. He had served as a regional minister of economy and industry in the previous government.

He was married, with one son.

Reuters MP VP0136