IFOR OPENS BRIDGE ACROSS SAVA BETWEEN CROATIA,B-H

STARA GRADISKA, May 2 (Hina) - The Implementation Force (IFOR) on Thursday opened for traffic a bridge across the Sava river between Stara Gradiska, Croatia, and Bosanska Gradiska, Bosnia-Herzegovina. #L# The IFOR Hungarian Engineering Contingent added an 84 metres long reconstruction to the damaged section of the bridge formerly known as Most bratstva i jedinstva (Brotherhood and Unity Bridge). The bridge will be used for the necessities of IFOR and international humanitarian organizations, whereas its opening for civil traffic will depend on an agreement between governments of Croatia and the Serb entity in Bosnia-Herzegovina, said British General Michael Walker, commander of IFOR ground troops. Brigadier General Janos Tompa, commander of Hungarian engineering troops, said he hoped the bridge would make traffic and connection of inhabitants from both sides of the river easier. In answer to a journalistic question as to which troops would guard the bridge, Walker said that there would be no special troops apart from the regular security IFOR provided for Bosnia- Herzegovina, because the bridge should be a symbol of the opening of a country (Bosnia-Herzegovina in this case) and not a cause for conflicts. (hina) ha 021755 MET may 96