SERBS ATTEMPT TO SNATCH BACK ARMS FROM U.N. GUARDED DEPOTS

SARAJEVO, Aug 3 (Hina) - The situation in the greater Sarajevo area has become more tense in the last 48 hours due to an outbreak of the conflict around Visoko and Breza, 25 km. N. of Sarajevo. The United Nations military observers reported about infantry clashes in a zone 3 km. southeast of Visoko. Serb forces fired mortar shells at Visoko and Breza yesterday. Both towns were hit by two 400-kilogram bombs. The U.N. military observers also reported that ten civilians in Breza had been wounded in yesterday's bomb explosion. Bosnian Serb forces' headquarters issued a request to take back heavy weapons from the U.N.-guarded compounds in the Sarajevo surrounding, which the U.N. peacekeepers are monitoring for several months. Serb forces asked for arms from the U.N. collection depots in Ilidza, Vogosca and Hadzici. Their request was rejected energetically, a spokesman for the U.N. Protection Force (UNPROFOR), Rob Annink, said in Sarajevo on Wednesday. Ten Serb soldiers appeared last night in front of the heavy weapons collection site at Poljane, 5 km. N. of the very centre of Sarajevo, and required of UNPROFOR troops to hand over four mortars to them. The French peacekeepers refused the request and warned the Serbs they would shoot if the Serbs use force. At the moment the U.N. peacekeepers are guarding 10 weapons sites where heavy arms were collected from a 20-km heavy weapons exclusion zone around the Bosnian capital after a NATO air strike ultimatum, imposed last February. Nine of the U.N.-guarded depots were needed for the collection of the Serb weaponry from the exclusion zone, and one of the sites was used for collection of the Bosnian army's heavy arms. According to UNPROFOR's statistics, 323 pieces of heavy weaponry, out of which 42 belonged to Bosnian army, are now piled up at the weapons sites. The Bosnian-Herzegovinian and Serb sides have continued negotiations on a deal to end sniping in Sarajevo. The talks have been conducted under the mediation of UNPROFOR representatives. The anti-sniping accord is to be signed today and to take effect 24 hours after being signed. Talks on the exchange of prisoners and a reopening of the "blue routes", (vital supply routes) to the city are also to be continued. (hina) mar mm 031801 MET aug 94