SOLANA BOTH ENCOURAGED AND CONCERNED AFTER VISIT TO SARAJEVO

SARAJEVO, Jan 12 (Hina) - NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana said on Friday he was encouraged by the visit to Sarajevo and his talks with the President of the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Alija Izetbegovic, and the President of the Federation of Bosnia- Herzegovina, Kresimir Zubak, but Solana also admitted that he was concerned about difficulties the implantation of the Dayton agreements was facing. The NATO Secretary-General added that the entire Dayton deals were being put to the test in Sarajevo and Mostar. 'I am concerned about the latest developments in Mostar, as they put in question prospects of the Bosnian Federation which is a basic element for the consolidation of the entire peace process,' Solana told a press conference that he held along with NATO's commander in Europe, General George Joulwan, and the commander of the Implementation Force in Bosnia (IFOR), Admiral Leighton Smith, in Sarajevo on Friday. Solana said he had urged Croatian and Bosnian senior officials to use their influence with local leaders in Mostar to calm the situation. 'According to the latest information from Mostar, the situation has been calmed, and this is encouraging,' he added. Speaking about the issue of Sarajevo, Solana firmly stressed that nobody has any authority to change time-limits defined by the peace agreements. The NATO chief explained that there could be neither compromise nor prolongation of deadlines for the transfer of the authorities to the Federation in the currently Serb-held suburbs in Sarajevo. This means that the Federal army and police should enter the suburbs of Grbavica, Ilidza, Vogosca and Hadzici this April. At Ilidza Solana met the chairman of the Bosnian Serb self- styled parliament, Momcilo Krajisnik on Friday. Solana told the press conference that he had warned Krajisnik that there had been enough suffering and devastation in Bosnia in the last four years and that no one should leave his home any more. 'I did not get any concrete response, but I can tell you that I am sure Krajisnik departed from our talks deep in thought,' Solana commented on that Ilidza meeting. 'Those people who want to leave, can do so freely, but we would like to offer security and safety to those who are keen to remain,' the US Admiral Smith explained the IFOR intentions, and added that he had said this to Krajisnik. Smith declined to comment on threats by Bosnian Serb leaders that those who might remain would put up military resistance to the Federal authorities. (hina) mm mms 121932 MET jan 96