FIRST U.S. ARMS DELIVERY ARRIVES IN BOSNIAN FEDERATION

SARAJEVO, Nov 28 (Hina) - The first part of a US arms shipment intended for the Bosnian Federation army was transferred by train on Thursday from the southern Croatian Adriatic port of Ploce to a Federation army barracks in Pazaric, 30 km southwest of Sarajevo. The train, loaded with a tank and eight armoured personnel carriers, was welcomed in the afternoon in Hadzici, halfway between Sarajevo and Pazaric, by Federation vice president Ejup Ganic, Federation army commander General Rasim Delic and US ambassador to Bosnia-Herzegovina John Menzies. We believe that the arms delivery will contribute to the consolidation of stability in the region. The arms delivery is one of the commitments assumed by the United States and many other countries, Menzies said. Ganic stressed that the arms delivery was five years late, but expressed hope that the establishment of a military balance would contribute to permanent stability. The transfer of arms from Ploce to destinations within the Moslem-Croat Federation will continue over the next ten days. (hina) vm 282147 MET nov 96