BOSNIAN SERBS CAPTURE 7 UKRAINIANS ON CROATIAN TERRITORY

ZAGREB, Dec 1 (Hina) - Bosnian Serb commandoes yesterday captured seven Ukrainian UNPROFOR soldiers at a checkpoint in Croatia's UN Protected Area North, the UN in Zagreb told a press conference today. The Serbs entered the Protected Area, captured the soldiers manning the Bosanska Bojna checkpoint at the Croatian-Bosnian border and hustled their prisoners back to Bosnia, spokesman Alexander Ivanko said. The kidnappers left a message to the effect they would negotiate the prisoners' release only with the UNPROFOR headquarters in Zagreb, Ivanko said. The Serbs also helped themselves to the Ukrainians' armoured car, he said. The Bosanska Bojna checkpoint was now manned by Serb troops. Meanwhile, Bosnian Serbs were still active in the Bihac area, particularly in the southern and south-western parts of the enclave, where the villages of Zegar, Vedro Polje and Orljan were the scene of heavy fighting. One civilian was killed near the town's stadium and another was seriously wounded in the immediate vicinity of the hospital, Ivanko said. Increased shelling was reported near Donji Vakuf (central Bosnia) and east of Mostar. Although the meeting yesterday between UN Secretary-General Boutros-Boutros Ghali and Serb leader Karadzic fell through, negotiations still remained the only way to resolve the Bosnian crisis and the UN would continue to negotiate with Bosnian Serbs, UN spokesman Michael Williams said. He said that by refusing to meet Boutros-Ghali Karadzic was "missing an opportunity" for talks on the Bihac situation, a cease- fire and UNPROFOR's freedom of movement in Bosnia. (hina) as 011427 MET dec 94