NEW SUSPENSION BRIDGE OPENED AT THE SITE OF MOSTAR OLD BRIDGE

MOSTAR, April 12 (Hina) - A new suspension bridge was opened in Mostar today at the site of an old medieval stone bridge. The bridge would link Bosnian army controlled areas on both banks of the Neretva river. The opening ceremony was attended by Bosnian Presidency member Nijaz Durakovic, who described it as "a step toward confidence restoration in Mostar." Also present were Klaus Metscher and Martin Garrod, aides to European Union administrator Hans Koschnik. The bridge displayed a Bosnian flag. During the ceremony NATO aircraft buzzed the city a few times. Mostar's famous Old Bridge, listed by UNESCO as world heritage, was emblematic monument Turkish architecture in Bosnia. It was destroyed during bitter Moslem-Croat fighting in late 1993. (Hina) mm bk 121837 MET apr 95