HVO NOT INVOLVED IN DRVAR VIOLENCE

( Editorial: --> 0177 ) SARAJEVO, April 28 (Hina) - The Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina's Defence Ministry on Tuesday rejected all accusations, which appeared in some papers, that the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) was involved in last week's violence in Drvar. Those untrue assertions definitely do not have good intentions and cannot contribute to calming the situation in Drvar and elsewhere in Bosnia-Herzegovina, said a Defence Ministry statement. "Not only were the HVO soldiers not involved in the violence in Drvar but they behaved very professionally and positively," says the statement which stresses that this was confirmed by the command of SFOR's Canadian brigade, which is supervising the situation in the Drvar municipality. In a letter to HVO's 1st Guard Brigade, the Commander of SFOR's 1st Batallion, Major MacCallum, says that there were no indications to substantiate such accusations, and that in talks with Serb returnees they did not receive any complaints or grievances in regards to the activity of the 1st Guard Brigade. The Ministry also recalls that a part of the 1st Guard Brigade was recently withdrawn from Drvar to remove cause for prior, unjustified accusations for participation in violence and to vacate apartments for Serb returnees. (hina) jn mrb/lm 281857 MET apr 98