U.S. ENVOY SATISFIED WITH PROGRESS IN FEDERATION ARMY

( Editorial: --> 3447 ) SARAJEVO, June 24 (Hina) - The special United States envoy for military stabilisation in the Balkans on Wednesday said he was satisfied with the progress achieved in solving problems in the army of Bosnia-Herzegovina's Croat-Muslim Federation. Progress in using uniform symbols and flags has created conditions for the continued implementation of the "Equip and Train" programme intended for the training of Federation armed forces, James Pardew told Hina in Sarajevo on Wednesday. In a statement following his meeting with the highest officials of the Bosnian Federation Defence Ministry, Pardew said that Defence Minister Ante Jelavic and his Bosniak (Muslim) deputy Sakib Mahmuljin had already signed orders on the obligatory use of a uniform symbol and rank insignia for all members of the Federation Army. Also ordered has been the display of the Federation flag on all military facilities. The use of the state flag of Bosnia-Herzegovina will be regulated on the level of state authorities. The uniform symbols of the Federation Army will not contain in any form the national symbols or symbols of the Bosniak-dominated Army of Bosnia-Herzegovina (ABiH) and the Croatian Defence Council (HVO). This is aimed at initiating the process of full integration of Federation armed forces. It also means that the separate flags of the former Bosniak-led Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Croat Republic of Herceg- Bosna will be removed from all military buildings. Problems with uniform symbols and the use of flags caused the suspension of the "Equip and Train" programme. The suspension lasted until all US requests, included in today's order signed by Jelavic and Mahmuljin, were met. (hina) jn rml /mbr 241843 MET jun 98