BOSNIAN PRESIDENT OPENS OIC CONTACT GROUP MEETING IN SARAJEVO

SARAJEVO, April 10 (Hina) - The reconstruction of Bosnia- Herzegovina and the establishment of a military balance are conditions for stabilization and lasting peace in the region, Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic said in Sarajevo on Wednesday. Opening a ministerial meeting of the extended Contact Group of Organization of Islamic Confererence (OIC) countries, Izetbegovic said that the meeting represented a great encouragement to the struggle for preservation and reconstruction of Bosnia-Herzegovina. "In recent time, voices supporting the division of Bosnia- Herzegovina have become louder," Izetbegovic said, adding that his country needed strong economic support and assistance in the organizing of a well-equipped army which would be capable of preserving the country's territorial integrity. Bosnian Foreign Minister Jadranko Prlic said that the peace process could be in danger if the speedy reconstruction of the country failed. He noted that substantial progress had been made in the last few days in efforts to make the Bosnian Moslem-Croat federation functional. (hina) vm mm 101718 MET apr 96