NO MENTION OF BIHAC IN DRAFT CSCE DECLARATION

BUDAPEST, Dec 6 (Hina) - The CSCE (Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe) summit in Budapest is expected to adopt a final declaration today. The draft declaration is on strengthening the CSCE's role, conflict prevention methods, human rights protection and economic cooperation. But the draft does not mention Bihac or the situation in former Yugoslavia. According to Hungarian CSCE Ambassador Isztvan Gyarmati, several countries felt that a CSCE declaration on the Bosnian conflict at this stage could jeopardise the "delicate negotiations that were being conducted." Originally, the summit was to have adopted a declaration on Bihac. A task group was established to draft one. After working on the draft for seven days, Russia withdrew its representatives and sent new ones, just as the group had reached an agreement. The new Russian officials immediately insisted that more "balance" be included in the document. In order to keep at least some mention of Bihac and Bosnia in the summit's final conclusions, the Bosnian representative is likely to insist that the original draft declarations on Bihac and the Bosnian crisis be recorded in the summit's minutes-book. Bosnian CSCE Ambassador Mahir Hadziahmetovic said that Russia's proposal for the final declaration included only a few sentences about Bosnia-Herzegovina, "with no mention of Bihac or Bosnia's territorial integrity." "Small countries are frightened because they see that the principles of sanctity of borders and territorial integrity no longer apply," he said. "Although there is a lot of talk at CSCE sessions about disarmament and security, the message to small countries is - arm yourselves because you're on your own," Hadziahmetovic concluded. (hina) jn as sd 061510 MET dec 94