PERRY FAVOURS MORE INTENSE AIR STRIKES AGAINST SERBS

WASHINGTON, Oct 6 (Hina) - US Defence Secretary William Perry reiterated the views of NATO member state ministers outlined at the session in Seville to dismiss suspicions about NATO's role in greater pressure on Bosnian Serbs to accept the Contact Group peace plan. He told the NBC late last night that the USA had taken the lead in NATO settling the Bosnian crisis by proposing more intensified use of NATO air strikes against the Bosnian Serbs. He said he had met General Rose and Yasushi Akashi and that a joint basis for further activities was agreed upon. He added that NATO would not deny the right of the UN commander on the ground to decide on air strikes. "We also told Akashi and Rose that we would not fire aimlessly as had been the case with the strike at an empty tank," Perry said. The Bosnian Serbs' conduct towards UN peace keepers, Sarajevans, and UN-declared safe areas, justified the use of air power, the NATO ministers had said at the Seville session. Perry said the Clinton administration was standing by its decision to urge the international community and the UN Security Council to lift the Bosnian arms embargo. President Clinton told Congress that on October 15 he would raise the question of lifting the arms embargo in the UN Security Council and the USA was ready to meet its commitment. (hina) mar sd mm 061102 MET oct 94