B-H ARMY TROOPS ATTEMPT TO ENTER TWO CROAT VILLAGES IN USORA

VITEZ, Jan 12 (Hina) - Bosnian army 3rd corps troops today crossed the Usora river in central Bosnia and attempted to enter the Croatian villages of Alibegovci and Ularice, the Vitez-based HVO command said on Friday. The forces mustered for the advance on these two HVO- controlled villages included 300 Moslem soldiers and policemen, backed by anti-aircraft cannon and machine-gun units based in the village of Krasevo. But according to HVO Brigadier Drago Dragicevic, the attempt failed. Dragicevic notified the IFOR command, which promptly sent a detachment to the Usora area. "The 110th HVO regiment has strict orders not to provoke the Moslems, but to defend itself if attacked," Dragicevic said. According to Dragicevic, steps had been taken to stage a meeting between HVO representatives and the Bosnian army 3rd corps commander, Gen. Sahib Mahmuljina. The meeting was scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday. "I will insist that all conflict be resolved by talks and not by threats or force, in keeping with the Dayton Agreements," said Dragicevic, who is to lead the HVO delegation. Several Croat-Moslem incidents, including the killing of two HVO soldiers, occurred in the Usora area in the past two weeks. During the three-year Serb siege of the Usora enclave, Croats and Moslems fought side by side, managing to avoid all conflicts, even as the Croat-Moslem war raged in other parts of central Bosnia. (hina) as 122013 MET jan 96