SERBS DEMAND CONSTITUENT NATION STATUS IN BOSNIAN FEDERATION

SARAJEVO, Apr 9 (Hina) - The Assembly of Serb citizens of Bosnia- Herzegovina convened today in Sarajevo. Nearly 800 people gathered for the occasion, including many members of Opposition parties from Serbia proper. Leader of the Zagreb-based Independent Serbian Party, Milorad Pupovac, was also present as a guest. The Assembly adopted Declarations on peace, arrangement of Bosnia-Herzegovina and human rights. The Assembly decided to demand that the Bosnian Federal Parliament grant the Serbs constituent nation status in the Croat-Moslem Federation. It was stressed that the Pale regima had no legitimate right to represent all Bosnian Serbs, since 150,000 Serbs lived on the territory controlled by the Federation, and nearly half a million Serbs who disapproved of Karadzic's policy were forced to flee their homeland. The Assembly called on the international community to increase pressure on Milosevic to recognise Bosnia-Herzegovina and accept the Contact Group peace plan. The Assembly also requested that the Serb Citizens' Council should participate as a full partner in future peace talks on Bosnia-Herzegovina. (hina) as 091939 MET apr 95