FRENCH U.N. PEACEKEEPER KILLED IN SARAJEVO

SARAJEVO, April 14 (Hina) - A French UN peacekeeper was killed by sniper fire in Sarajevo this morning. UN spokesman Gary Coward told reporters in Sarajevo that the soldier was hit in the neck on a road between the airport and the city. He added that the bullet had been fired from east of the road, but did not say who was responsible. Serb positions are located east of the road as well as one of their main barracks, the one at Lukavica. UN monitors had reported fewer armed incidents in the past 24 hours compared to previous days. Sporadic exchanges of small-arms fire were registerd along almost all separation lines. The Sarajevo airport remained closed and Coward said the UN did not expect it to be reopened soon because Serbs refused to guarantee aircraft safety. He added that negotiations to resolve this problem could resume early next week. Coward said 'Contact Group' envoys had themselves decided not to come to Sarajevo because of the worsening security situation. (Hina) bk 141504 MET apr 95