LETTER FROM HERZEG-BOSNIA TO U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL

MOSTAR, Nov 18 (HABENA/Hina) - In connection with the events concerning the pulling down of the Old Bridge in Mostar, the head of the Office of the President of the Croatian Republic of Herzeg- Bosnia, Vladislav Pogarcic, forwarded a letter to UN Secretary- General Boutros Boutros-Ghali on Thursday. The letter, quoted by Herzeg-Bosnia's news agency HABENA, among other things said: "... On the day the Old Bridge was pulled down, 9 November 1993, Croatian and Moslem forces in Mostar exchanged mortar fire. The Moslem forces on the right bank of the River Neretva were on the retreat, and the time the bridge was pulled down coincides with their retreat. It also should be stressed that the Moslem forces had controlled the Old Bridge and its immediate surroundings several months before its destruction," said the letter. "Only explosive planted under the bridge and heavy artillery could pull the bridge down. I have to stress once more that on that day Croatian Defence Council (HVO) troops used only mortars. Mortar projectiles, even if they had hit a target directly, would have inflicted only minor damage on the Old Bridge (as during Serb shelling from April to July 1992). Croats in Bosnia-Herzegovina strongly condemn accusations by the Moslem-led Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina, hypocrisy in their letter to the UN Security Council, and request an urgent and independent investigation so as to find out how the Old Bridge was pulled down," said the letter. 182238 MET nov 93