SRNA REVIEW OF DAILY NEWS, March 24, 1996

Srpska Republica News Agency (SRNA) Directory

From: Mirjana Petrovic <[email protected]>

DOBOJ - The ICRC handed over 109 Serb soldiers, who had been imprisoned in the Tuzla camp, to the RS Army First Krajina Corps commission for prisoner exchange. Only a part of registered prisoners was released from the prison, because the Muslim au thorities detained 18 soldiers.

MOSCOW - The RS delegation, which participated at the meet ing of the Contact Group in Moscow, left Moscow today. SRNA learns from the Republika Srpska Office in Moscow, that the return of the RS delegation is being expected at 15:00 hrs in Belgrade. The RS foreign minister Aleksa Buha stressed last night in an statement given SRNA that on the yesterday's meeting of the Contact Group in Moscow, the question of equal treatment of the Republika Srpska and the Moslem Croat Federation was discussed.

BRCKO - The BrckoGunja Bridge will be officially put into function on Thursday, March 28 , stated the ARRC U.S. Engineering Unit chief, general Obema MurBik. This bridge, of 40 tonnes capacity, will serve needs of IFOR troops and civilians, and for that purpose the schedule for passage will be made. The U.S. general, being asked who will guarantee the Serb civilians free passage to Croatia, answered, "it is not in my mandate", and that he is "responsible for security on the bridge itself".

HAMBURG - The German foreign minister, Klaus Kinkel, thinks that "even 60,000 NATO soldiers can not impose peace in Srpska and the B-H federation, if parties do not want it". Kinkel said that the immediate releasing of 200 war prisoners is the most important thing, alluding to the obligation of the Muslim side to observe the Peace agreement.

LONDON - IFOR is changing its mission in order to implement the Dayton agreement and it will use force for the solving of civilian issues, stated US secretary of state, Warren Christo pher. He admitted that NATO will act out of official authorisa tion, although this option was considered as "a ticket to hell" before the peace agreement was signed.

PARIS - The Contact Group members are expressing regret because of the fact that the USA is favouring the ethnic cleans ing, which is leading to the elimination of the multiethnic life in the former B-H. The obvious examples of the ethnic cleansing is Sarajevo where there are no more Serbs, and Mostar where Muslims and Croats are living separated, despite the efforts of IFOR, says the French media.

HAMBURG - Most German papers assessed that charges against the Muslims serve as a screen which aim is to hide the anti Serbian stance of the Hague tribunal.