SRNA REVIEW OF EVENING NEWS, Aug. 13, 1996

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From: Mirjana Petrovic <almirja@cotton.vislab.olemiss.edu>

SARAJEVO - The vicepresident and acting president of Repub- lika Srpska (RS) Biljana Plavsic, assessed the contacts with IFOR representatives as very successful. "We had a very successful day, we paid an inspection visit to the RS Army (VRS) HQ", stated Biljana Plavsic, following her meeting with IFOR commander vice admiral Joseph Lopes, held in Pale. Biljana Plavsic expressed her belief that the future cooperation with NATO will also be suc cessful.

WASHINGTON - NATO troops in RS and the CroatMuslim Federa- tion have been put on a highest alert, announced the U.S. Defence Department. The Department spokesman Ken Bacon stated such a move was undertaken because of possible attacks on their troops. "We have seen people attempting to survey specific camps, obviously", explained Bacon, and added "We have additional information that leads us to believe that there could be threats against American installations in Bosnia".

SARAJEVO - The precaution undertaken by NATO will remain in effect in the next few days, even in the event of successfully conducted inspection of the Serb Army HQ buildings in Han Pije sak, Reuters reports, citing an unnamed source with NATO.

HAN PIJESAK - NATO ground forces commander general Michael Walker stated that he was satisfied by the inspection of the VRS HQ complex at Han Pijesak, reports Reuters. General Walker visit ed VRS HQ complex in Han Pijesak together with the RS vice president and acting president Biljana Plavsic.

SARAJEVO - The secretary of the Serbian Democratic Party (SDS) for Serbia Lands, Vlado Vrkes, assessed that the preelec- tion campaign in RS proceeds in a "democratic atmosphere". Vrkes called on all Serbs, registered in 1990 census in this territo ry, to come and vote in RS.

ZVORNIK - The SDS will do its best to avoid contravention of the Dayton agreement, "but will not allow further concessions to lead to the negation of the RS statehood", stated the president of the Zvornik Municipality Jovan Mitrovic. He warned that "further concessions would lead to a gradual but sure amalgama tion of RS with the CroatMuslim Federation", and said that "the Serbs went into this liberation war not with an intention to become a secondclass citizens".

BANJALUKA - The Banjaluka, Prijedor, Gradiska, Mrkonjic Grad, Kljuc, Sanski Most and Drvar mayors talked in Banjaluka with deputy high representative of the international community Michael Steiner on the forthcoming elections and the process of exhumation of fallen soldiers in both entities. The German diplo mat considers that the setting new conditions for the exhuma tions, both sides enlarge the political presence to the problems. He announced the new meeting on prime ministers level scheduled for August 15, in Sarajevo.

GENEVA - The US state secretary Warren Christopher arrived in Geneva a day before his meeting with Milosevic, Tudjman and Izetbegovic, on the September elections. "In the course of next few weeks our main talks will be to ensure the healthy environ ment for the democratic elections", stated Christopher before his arrival to Geneva.

SARAJEVO - The Bosnian Muslim leader Alija Izetbegovic stated for the Muslim TV that he was not optimistic in the view of the CroatMuslim relations, in the face of intensive talks and pressures made for the sake of early resolution of contentious issues. As one among the problems, Izetbegovic stated "hardline Croats' ambition to take the western part of B-H for themselves, in order to have it easier integrated with Croatia."

MOSTAR - Following twoday negotiations behind the doors, the Croats and Muslims in the ethnically divided Mostar convened the first session of the City Council to be held tomorrow, August 14. The Croatian state news agency "Hina" says this session is the beginning of the EU-proposed "joint action" which would help the functioning of the joint City Council.

ZENICA - The ZenicaDoboj canton governor Bedrudin Salconov- ic, assessed as unaccpetable Croat demands for constituting Zenica as a union of municipalities. In an interview for Muslim RadioZenica, Salcinovic promised a definite expelling of Islamic mercenaries from the region.

/end/

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