LULL ON KUPRES FRONT, HEAVY FIGHTING AROUND BOSANSKA KRUPA

SARAJEVO, Nov 5 (Hina) - The situation on the Kupres front was gradually calming down, a UNPROFOR news conference in Sarajevo heard today. According to UN spokesman Tim Spicer, minor clashes were reported S.W. of Kupres in the past 24 hours. Bosnian army and Croatian Defence Council (HVO) troops started withdrawing from the area yesterday. According to UN military observers, a thousand troops had already withdrawn along with some tanks and heavy artillery - but Spicer did not know which way they went. Commander of the Bosnian army 7th Corps, Gen. Mehmed Alagic, today told the Sarajevo-based daily "Oslobodjenje" that 200 square kms in the Kupres area had been liberated in the past 15 days. The Bosnian army and the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) now controlled half the Kupres municipality. According to Gen. Alagic, the Serbs lost 300 men, while the Bosnian army had 7 killed and 20 wounded. Alagic denied rumours of an impending union of the 7th "Kupres" corps with the 5th Corps stationed in western Bosnia. "One hundred and twenty kms separate us from the 5th corps. Our goal will be achieved more quickly if we join forces with the HVO," he said. No major advances had been made on the western-Bosnian front in the past 24 hours, UN officials said. Fierce fighting was still raging around Bosanska Krupa. The Bosnian army may have seized the western bank of the Una River - but the Serbs still held the eastern bank. UN officials said the entire UNPROFOR operation in western Bosnia was jeopardised because the Knin Serbs were now vigorously controlling the Croatian-Bosnian border. It was well-nigh impossible for UNPROFOR to ship in supplies to their own troops, let alone humanitarian aid. UNHCR's suggestion to airlift food was rejected as the safety of transport aircraft could not be guaranteed since the Serbs started using SA-2 anti-aircraft missiles. Only 630 tonnes of aid had been delivered to western Bosnia since June. (hina) as sd 051425 MET nov 94