Sarajevo Truce Called to Allow Utility Repairs

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina —  Serbian guns on the mountains overlooking Sarajevo fell silent Tuesday as a cease-fire began to enable workers to restore electricity and other utilities for the city of 380,000.

The truce was requested by the United Nations, and its length was still at issue. Serbian and government officers were to meet at Sarajevo’s airport to work out details and safety guarantees for the utility crews. Most previous repairs have been done by local crews guarded by U.N. peacekeepers.

In Washington, top officials of the Clinton Administration discussed Bosnia again at the White House.

“There’s a lot of focus on the Vance-Owen plan and how it can be made acceptable to the parties and how it can be carried out,” one official said, referring to international mediators Cyrus R. Vance and Lord Owen.

“We’re considering some kind of special envoy to help work that process, to support Vance and Owen,” he said.

White House Communications Director George Stephanopoulos said President Clinton is expected to announce his new policy this week but refused to confirm that a special envoy is being considered.