MAHALA VILLAGE IN BH CONTROLLED BY IFOR, INT POLICE

SARAJEVO, Aug 31 (Hina) - The situation in the Bosniak village of Mahala, north-eastern Bosnia, where two days ago the Serb police attacked a large group of refugees trying to return to their homes, was now peaceful and controlled by NATO soldiers and the International Police, representatives of the NATO-led Peace Implementation Force (IFOR) and the U.N. said in Sarajevo on Saturday. IFOR spokesman Max Marriner said that this morning a group of 75 Bosniaks was spotted going from Kalesija towards Mahala. Before giving them permission to enter the village, IFOR soldiers will search and identify them in order to prevent a possible carrying of arms in the separation zone and new incidents. The Serb police in Zvornik was requested not to enter the village at the moment. A group of some 30 Bosniaks spent last night in Mahala, while IFOR soldiers are watching the village from several posts. Marriner refused the possibility that NATO soldiers constantly control the area, pointing out that they intervened when general safety on the ground was endangered. The return of refugees was obviously a political issue, UNHCR spokesman Kris Janowski said, adding that to set up watch around the village would not solve problems. Leader of the U.N. Mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina Iqbal Riza yesterday discussed the incidents with the Premier of the Serb entity Gojko Klickovic, while International Police commissioner Peter Fitzgerald demanded an apology from the Minister of the Interior of the Serb entity Dragan Kijc concerning the behaviour of his policemen in Mahala and Zvornik. In the presence of Serb policemen, several hundred persons blocked the International Police station in Zvornik and detained the U.N. staff. The behaviour of the Serb police was severely condemned by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State John Kornblum, who yesterday in Banja Luka discussed the matter with Biljana Plavsic, former deputy to Radovan Karadzic, now President of the Serb entity. Kornblum said in Sarajevo that Serb officials had been requested to prevent similar incidents. (hina) ha jn 311553 MET aug 96