Bosnia: Sfor Builds New Base in Eastern Serb Republic

[Yoshie Furuhashi]

BBC Monitoring Europe - Political
Supplied by BBC Worldwide Monitoring
February 5, 2001, Monday
HEADLINE: Bosnia: Sfor builds new base in eastern Serb Republic
SOURCE: SRNA news agency, Bijeljina, in Serbo-Croat 1515 gmt 5 Feb 01

Text of report by Bosnian Serb news agency SRNA

Bijeljina, 5 February: Sfor NATO-led Stabilization Force stated today 
that the multinational unit North had begun construction of an 
advanced operational base IOB west of Bratunac, in order to enable a 
larger presence of Sfor in the eastern part of the Bosnian Serb 
Republic.

"The IOB will make it possible for its soldiers to be deployed 
quickly, and it will make it possible for the soldiers to serve for a 
longer period of time in order to implement the Dayton accord," the 
statement said.

It added that Sfor, as well as the whole international community, 
would this year concentrate its efforts on the eastern Serb Republic; 
the IOB will facilitate stronger support for the process of 
repatriation of refugees and displaced persons.