SERBIA ABIDES BY ITS DECISION TO CLOSE BORDER, OWEN SAYS

WASHINGTON, May 22 (Hina) - The co-chairmen of the Geneva Peace Conference, Thorvald Stoltenberg and Lord David Owen, proposed that the task of controlling the Yugoslav-Bosnian border should be entrusted to OSCE (Organisation on Security and Cooperation in Europe) because the UN Mission was struggling with financial difficulties. In their April report to the UN Security Council, released on Monday, the co-chairmen said that Serbia was abiding by its decision to close the border with the Serb-controlled parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina. However, because of the lack of personnel, the Mission coordinator had temporarily withrawn crews from the border crossings of Skelani, Sula and Krstac. The Mission needed 250 observers to ensure efficient border control, and only 150 were available, the report said. Noting that debts to the Mission totalled US$ three million, the co-chairmen stressed that the lack of funds was also affecting the efficiency of helicopter flight monitoring. (hina) jn as 231121 MET may 95