GENERAL BRIQUEMONT ASKS TO BE REPLACED

BRUSSELS, Jan 4 (Hina) - UN Force Commander in Bosnia-Herzegovina General Francis Briquemont will leave his post before the expiration of his mandate in July this year, said Spokesperson of the Belgian Foreign Ministry Patrick Renault today. He told Hina on the telephone that the Belgian Defence Ministry issued that statement on Tuesday morning. The Spokesperson said that General Briquemont is leaving the post at his request and that he will assume a new post in the Belgian Army in Germany. Mr. Renault did not want to comment on Briquemont's request on the replacement and he added that General Briquemont will be replaced during next weeks. The decision on the replacement depends only on the UN Secretary General, said the Spokesperson of the Belgian Foreign Ministry. The Belgian General have expressed unsatisfaction because of difficulties he had faced in his mission. He complained about shortage of means - because of it he could not fulfill his tasks: the protection of population and humanitarian aid delivery. He requested for reinforcement of the UN troops in Bosnia-Herzegovina (the current number of UN soldiers deployed in B-H is 12,000). + The UNPROFOR information office in Kiseljak confirmed that General Briquemont announced his replacement at the morning's meeting in Kiseljak. 041307 MET jan 94