IFOR MAY EXPAND ITS MISSION IN BOSNIA - SPOKESMAN

SARAJEVO, March 5 (Hina) - The NATO-led peace Implementation Force (IFOR) in Bosnia said on Tuesday that the NATO Council would hold a session in Sarajevo later this week to discuss IFOR's performance on the ground. IFOR spokesman Van Dyke told a press conference in Sarajevo that it would be a regular working meeting but added that the IFOR mission was expected to expand in the near future in terms of its greater support to civilian organizations. Van Dyke said it would mean improving NATO's cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague. So far, IFOR had been helping the Tribunal by providing air surveillance of mass grave sites, foot patrols, communications teams and overall military security on the ground, he added. A written recommendation for expanding the IFOR mission was expected to be submitted to the NATO Council by IFOR commander General George Joulwan. Van Dyke said that Joulwan was closely cooperating with Admiral Smith, adding that the recommendation would most probably be a result of joint assessment of the real possibilities of the NATO force in Bosnia. IFOR officials at Sarajevo headquarters said cooperation between Bosnian Serb military commanders and IFOR continued without obstruction even after the indictment of Serb general Djordje Djukic by the Hague tribunal. (hina) lm vm 051420 MET mar 96