SARAJEVO AIRPORT COULD BE CLOSED IN LATE JULY

SARAJEVO, June 15 (Hina) - Sarajevo's airport could be closed in late July unless the area surrounding it is cleared of mines, spokesman for NATO's Stabilisation Force P.J. Lewis said on Thursday. Lewis told a news conference the airport could be closed if local authorities failed to meet internationally recognised security standards, which he said was currently the case. Bosnia-Herzegovina's Minister for Civil Issues and Communications Marko Asanin said a special commission in charge of mine-clearing would convene on June 19 and consider taking necessary measures. The airport's location in Butmir is on the former demarcation line which divided the Army of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb army. During last decade's war the airfield was supervised by UN peace-keeping forces. A fire which broke out by accident near the airfield in May drew attention to the hazard presented by mine fields. The accident was caused by the explosion of several mines and closed the airport for several hours. (hina) ha jn