U.N. CHIEF SAYS UNPROFOR'S ROLE IN EX-YUGOSLAVIA IRREPLACEABLE

NEW YORK, Feb 15 (Hina) - UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros- Ghali said yesterday that the role of the United Nations in the former Yugoslavia was irreplaceable and that it would take a lot of time to find a solution to the conflict. "The role of the United Nations in Yugoslavia was irreplaceable," he told a press conference at UN headquarters. Ghali said that the UN failed to find a solution to the conflict but managed to help two million refugees and displaced people and deliver tons of humanitarian aid supplies to Sarajevo and Bihac. He added that the world body also succeeding in containing the conflict and maintaining peace in Macedonia. Recalling that the Lebanese war lasted 14 years, Ghali said the UN needed time and patience, and would continue its efforts. The UN chief said the UN Protection Force could pull out of the former Yugoslavia if the arms embargo against Bosnia- Herzegovina was even partially lifted and if the Croatian government adhered to its demand that UNPROFOR withdrew from Croatia after March 31. France, Britain, Spain, Russia and Canada had said they would pull out their troops in case the Bosnia arms embargo was lifted and, most likely so, if UN peacekeepers withdrew from Croatia, Ghali said. He said he asked the NATO secretary general to make a plan of UNPROFOR's evacuation in either of the cases. Ghali described as positive a French initiative proposing that Serbia recognize the states that emerged after the breakup of the former Yugoslav federation and in return have sanctions against it lifted. Ghali stressed it was important that a solution was found before the UN mandate in Croatia expired on March 31. It was important to try and convince the US Congress and Croatian President Franjo Tudjman to maintain a UN presence in the former Yugoslavia, Ghali said. (hina) jn vm 151200 MET feb 95