FEDERATION ARMY NEEDS FOREIGN FINANCIAL SUPPORT

( Editorial: --> 0364 ) SARAJEVO, April 29 (Hina) - The highest military officials of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina said on Wednesday that they received full support and guarantees for continued help from countries which so far had financed the implementation of the "Equip and Train" programme. They said this at today's press conference at the end of a two-day international conference on the implementation of the programme "Equip and Train" held in Sarajevo. The Sarajevo conference was attended by representatives of 18, mostly Islamic countries, and the United States. Western European representatives did not attend the conference, except for Germany's military attache. Federation Defence Minister Ante Jelavic expressed hope that other countries who participated in the conference would become donors and secure necessary financial help. "The money we have been granted from the state budget meets only one third of the needs of the defence system," Jelavic said recalling that the Federation Government was considering the possibility of changing the existing regulations concerning the financing of the armed forces. US diplomat James Pardew, who is supervising the implementation of the programme, said that $US400 million had already been invested in the Federation Army, with the United States participating US$100 million. This still is not enough because the Bosnian Serb forces have advantage in the commanding structure, combat aviation and part of the heavy artillery and armoured vehicles. The Bosnian Serb forces still receive help from and train their soldiers in Yugoslavia, Pardew said. (hina) rm/mrb 291424 MET apr 98