BOSNIAN AIR SPACE AGAIN OPEN FOR CIVILIAN TRAFFIC

SARAJEVO, April 13 (Hina) - The air space over Bosnia-Herzegovina is again open for civilian traffic, said a spokesman for the NATO- led Stabilisation Force (SFOR) in the country on Tuesday. Under a decision of the SFOR chief commander, General Montgomery Meigs, this morning domestic and foreign air companies were notified that some airports and air lines in Bosnia would be open in daylight, the spokesman, David Scanlon, told a news conference in Sarajevo. The decision on re-establishment of civilian air traffic refers to carriers that fly to Sarajevo, Mostar and Banja Luka. Air companies will be allowed to use special air corridors only in daylight. This applies for flights from Zagreb and Split as well. Only planes with special permits will be allowed to fly by night over Bosnia. A partial re-establishment of civilian air traffic ensued after the SFOR commander assessed that security in Bosnia had risen at a higher level. Bosnia's air space had been closed just before the beginning of the NATO bombing of neighbouring Yugoslavia. James Ferguson, a spokesman for the international High Representative in Bosnia, welcomed the decision on re-introduction of civilian air traffic in Bosnia. He added that the High Representative, Carlos Westendorp, had previously asked NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana to allow air traffic in Bosnia since the country had suffered great economic losses due to closed airports. (hina) ms