CROATIAN EMBASSY IN PARIS DENIES THE TIMES ACCUSATIONS OF HVO'S CRUELTY

PARIS, Nov 25 (Hina) - Croatian Embassy to France issued a release in connection with the article published by the British daily The Times on Nov.24 1993 under the title Croats turn prisoners of war into human bombs, carried on Nov 25 by the French media. The release says that the article contains serious accusations against HVO aimed at discredit the entire Croatian people. According to he British 'blue berets' testimonies and those responsible in the HVO's Stjepan Tomasevic brigade from Novi Travnik, HVO soldiers allegedly turned three Muslim prisoners into live bombs, having attached bombs to their bodies, and made them walk to the Muslim positions... and then activated the bombs. The chief commander of the British UNPROFOR battalion J.Reith was not able to confirm the alleged facts and added that the investigation in progress. Further more, according to General Roso, it is technically impossible to tie an anti-aircraft shell to the chest and the back of a man who would pull a wire that would activate then the lighter. Thus, The Times article cannot be considered credible, the release issued by the Croatian Embassy in Paris concludes. (End) 261058 MET nov 93