INTERNATIONAL MILITARY MISSION ARRIVES IN BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, June 2 (Hina) - Senior military officials from several NATO countries as well as countries outside the Western alliance began a mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina on Monday to examine the possibility of setting up a strategic reserve force in support of Stabilisation Force (SFOR) troops. SFOR spokesman Chris Riley said in Sarajevo that the aim of the fact-finding mission was to get a clear picture of the situation on the ground in case NATO decided to deploy strategic reserves as a reinforcement to SFOR. The strong reserve force, which would be stationed outside Bosnia- Herzegovina, could be called in at short notice to reinforce SFOR troops in the event of a major crisis. Such combat units would be sent to Bosnia-Herzegovina upon the call of the SFOR commander and with approval from the NATO Council, the spokesman said. Riley said that such a force would consist of troops from the United States, Italy, Turkey, Netherlands, Poland and Romania. However, he declined to specify in what crisis situations they would be involved and what had prompted NATO to begin organising such a force. (hina) vm jn 021459 MET jun 97