UNPROFOR OPTIMISTIC ABOUT AGREEMENTS ON PRISONERS, BLUE ROUTES

SARAJEVO, Aug 2 (Hina) - Although yesterday's talks between Bosnian Government and Bosnian Serb representatives did not achieve the expected results, UNPROFOR is not disappointed at the outcome, UNPROFOR spokeswoman in Sarajevo Claire Grimes told a news conference on Tuesday. The talks were broken off after seven hours and a half by the Serb representatives, who said they were not prepared to discuss any open issues as long as fighting raged across Bosnia-Herzegovina, for which they blamed the Bosnian army. Three separate expert groups met at Sarajevo airport to discuss the exchange of prisoners-of-war, the opening of "blue routes" into Sarajevo and ending the sniping in the Bosnian capital. The working groups made "some progress," which prompted UNPROFOR Head of the Civil Affairs Department in Former Yugoslavia Sergio de Mello to define himself as a "convinced optimist." The work of the expert group on the exchange of prisoners seems to have been the most successful. International Red Cross representative in Sarajevo Lise Jones said the Bosnian side agreed to release 25 Serb POWs from Gorazde, while the Serbs should release Bosnian prisoners detained in various eastern-Bosnian towns. The Serb side offered to release the prisoners detained in Rudo and Visegrad, but the Bosnian Government is insisting on the release of those held in Foca. The sides seem to have got a little closer to an agreement on the reopening of the "blue routes" but nothing definite has been arranged yet. UNPROFOR drafted an agreement on the cessation of sniper fire in Sarajevo, to which the sides have agreed in principle, said Grimes. De Mello is going to try and coax the sides into accepting to sign these agreements at separate meetings with Izetbegovic, Silajdzic in Sarajevo and Serb officials at Pale on Tuesday afternoon. (hina) as 021425 MET aug 94