US involvement is welcomed

PARIS - The Foreign Secretary, Douglas Hurd, and his French counterpart, Roland Dumas, yesterday welcomed US involvement in the Bosnian Muslim relief effort, AFP reports.

Mr Hurd, speaking after a meeting with Mr Dumas, said Britain and France shared the same view on the planned air-drops. The US plan was 'good news'. On Tuesday Mr Hurd ruled out British involvement in the air-drops. Britain and France have said they regard the priority to be the overland transport of aid and the air-bridge to Sarajevo.

No date has been set for the start of the operation, but President Bill Clinton agreed on Tuesday that the air-drop would take place under UN supervision.

Turkey's Foreign Minister, Hikmet Cetin, said that Ankara was ready to join the air-drop.

On another topic, Mr Hurd warned France not to veto a farm-trade agreement between the EC and the US, saying everyone would suffer as a result.