BOSNIAN AUTHORITIES STILL MULLING U.S. REQUEST

SARAJEVO, March 28 (Hina) - Bosnian authorities are still carefully considering a request by the American administration to sign a bilateral agreement granting immunity to American citizens before the International Criminal Court, Bosnian Foreign Minister Mladen Ivanic said in Sarajevo Friday. #L# The U.S. government has set a deadline of July 1 for Bosnia to accept such a request or remain without American military assistance and cooperation. "The initiative is still being mulled and a decision will be made in no less than a month," Ivanic told reporters. He added that authorities in Bosnia were in a delicate position since they wished to keep the American presence in the country, but also had to maintain good relations with important European countries which strongly advocate support to the ICC. "The American presence is important for our joining the Partnership for Peace programme and NATO, but at the same time we also want to join European associations. Bosnia is just another small country in a crossfire between big countries," Ivanic said. He added that a final answer would be given once the country's most important interests were defined. Bosnia has similar difficulties in defining its stand towards the war in Iraq. Ivanic said the country firmly supported efforts for the disarmament of Iraq and in that sense had understanding for the U.S. and British efforts. Bosnia, however, believes that the U.N.'s Security Council should have had the leading role in the operation, he added. "We are not happy with the fact that the war has begun and we insist that the Security Council again assumes a crucial role in this crisis," Ivanic said, adding that Bosnia clearly denounced the killing of civilians in the Iraqi conflict. The foreign minister said that the essence of the entire problem was the need to disarm Iraq and prevent the crisis from becoming an instrument in settling relations among other states. (hina) lml