UPDATE OF ICRC ON RELEASE OF PRISONERS

ZAGREB, Dec 21 (Hina) - Since September 1993 the international Comitee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been activly negotiating the release of more than more than 8,000 detainees held by three parties to the conflict in Bosnia Herzegovina in over 60 places of detention, said the statement of ICRC Zagreb-office published on Tuesday. After the negotiations at October 19 1,081 detainees were released from Gabela, Zabrdje-Turije and Konjic. In the period between December 14 and December 20, 1,575 detainees were released from Gabela and Rodoc by unilateral initiative of HVO. The International Committee of the Red cross hopes that further decisions will be taken by three sides to enable the ICRC to organize the release and the transfer of the remaining 5,500 detainees still held by them. 211305 MET dec 93