SERBS BEAT UP FOUR BRITISH PEACE KEEPERS IN EAST BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Dec 1 (Hina) - After having blocked a British UN military convoy in eastern Bosnia for three days Serbs yesterday let the convoy continue its trip. It arrived in Kiseljak (central Bosnia) last night. But, Bosnian Serbs detained another three convoys in eastern Bosnian towns of Rogatica and Zvornik. The three convoys were accompanied by 20 British and 103 Dutch soldiers, all being held in the Serb capture, a spokesman for the UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR), Colonel Jan-Dirk von Merveldt, today said at a press conference in Sarajevo. Serbs are still holding 55 Canadian UN troops captive, and 237 UNPROFOR troops are blocked in UN-controlled weapons collections sites around Sarajevo. Serbs had abused and beaten up four British soldiers at a check-point at the Sarajevo-Gorazde road ten days ago, the UNPROFOR spokesman said today. Spokesman Jan-Dirk von Merveldt confirmed that the Serbs had held up a UNPROFOR vehicle requesting to check thoroughly the luggage. They tried to examine also personal bags of the British crew, among whom there were two women. The British opposed to such a move, and that's why they were beaten up by the Serbs. Spokesman von Merveldt declined to give a detailed report on the incident. He only replied positively to a journalist's question based on a magazine's article about it. Asked why no information on this event had been published by UNPROFOR so far, Colonel von Merveldt said they lacked the "valid information". Sarajevo Airport is still closed, the UNPROFOR representatives said today. We have not got necessary guarantees from the Serb side for the security of flights. Therefore, the airport remains to be closed," UN Spokesman Thant Myint-U told journalists. The UNPROFOR military spokesman pointed out that the situation was burdened by Serb forces' setting anti-aircraft systems around the airport. Colonel von Merveldt added that he did not know exactly where the anti-aircraft missiles were placed, whether their emplacements were inside the UN-declared Sarajevo safe area. The UNPROFOR spokesmen claimed that NATO must have information on this. Spokesman Myint-U said the latest conduct of Serbs toward UN peace keepers should be an issue of discussion at UN Security Council. The UN SC should assess conditions under which the UN 'blue helmets' could continue their mandate if the Serbs remained persistent in refusing adamantly any cooperation with UNPROFOR. (hina) mms ks 011715 MET dec 94