BOSNIAN ARMY RELEASES SIX HVO TROOPS

SARAJEVO, May 31 (Hina) - Bosnian forces on Friday released six HVO (Croatian Defence Council) soldiers they had taken prisoner at Fojnica, at the intervention of the commander of IFOR ground troops, Gen. Michael Walker, a Sarajevo press conference heard on Friday. "The IFOR command is aware that relations between the Federal partners are very sensitive right now - we will continue to closely monitor the situation and intervene if necessary," spokesman Simon Haselock said. The six HVO troops were arrested in retaliation against the arrest of two Moslem troops, whom the Bosnian army mistakenly believed to have been taken by HVO, UN spokesman in Sarajevo Alexander Ivanko said. "In fact, the two are being held in a Serb prison in Kula - they were arrested as they were travelling to Trnovo in a Bosnian army truck," he specified. This mistake very nearly disrupted Croat-Moslem talks on the defence legislation. Deputy Defence Minister Hasan Cengic went as far as to announce that "all talks on the Defence Act would be suspended until the Croats released the prisoners or delivered their bodies." (hina) as 311441 MET may 96