SITUATION IN BIHAC DESPERATE AND GETTING WORSE, UNHCR SAYS

ZAGREB, May 12 (Hina) - The situation in Bihac was "desperate and getting worse" a UN relief agency (UNHCR) representative told a press conference in Zagreb today. No UNHCR relief convoy has been able to enter the area since April 5, owing to the blockade of Croatian and Bosnian Serbs, Mans Nyberg with UNHCR's Bosnia office said. A 50-kg sack of flour cost 250 DM, he specified, adding that UNHCR personnel in Bihac were every day surrounded by people begging for food. He stressed UNHCR had had no difficulties in shipping relief aid to refugees from Western Slavonia, currently in Banja Luka. A Red Cross convoy, the first in the past five weeks, did reach Cazin last night, the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) office in Zagreb said today. The six-truck convoy, which set out from Zagreb, brought 90 tonnes of food and six packages of medical supplies. Thanks to this food shipment, Red Cross soup kitchens will be able to continue providing hot meals for three thousand residents and 1,500 patients of the Bihac hospital. Another ICRC convoy Wednesday reached Velika Kladusa, where the Red Cross is also planning to open a soup kitchen. (hina) mm as 121728 MET may 95