ADMIRAL SMITH GOES TO PALE

: Admiral Leighton Smith went to Pale, the heart of Bosnian Serb territory, on Tuesday to discuss details of the transition to peace. As a reminder of how close to war they still are, Smith and his party, including a dozen bodyguards, traveled in armored vehicles and entered the Serb compound only after a Navy security detail had scouted the area for potential problems. Smith pointedly snubbed leaders of the Bosnian Serbs by refusing to meet with Radovan Karadzic and Gen. Ratko Mladic, both of whom have been indicted for war crimes. Smith's spokesman, Major Simon Haselock, made it clear that if NATO peacekeeping troops encounter Karadzic or Mladic, "We will do our best to detain them." The two were nowhere to be seen as Smith conducted his meetings. KICKING THE CAN