THE EXODUS BEFORE THE STORM?

Despite the seeming calm on the military front, hundreds of nervous Bosnian Serbs were packing up and fleeing Sarajevo in anticipation of Bosnian Muslims taking control of the city beginning January 19. It is unclear how significant this movement is, says Alexandra Niksic, because many of those lining the roads were carting furniture rather than clothes and essentials. There were some reports of houses being burned as they left, but so far no accounts of violence. The fear, says Alexandra Niksic, is being fanned by Bosnian Serb leaders who remain beligerently opposed to the terms of the Dayton accord which would place some 70,000 Bosnian Serb Sarajevans under the authority of the Muslim dominated federation. "Though there were very few reactions to the meeting with Admiral Smith yesterday," says Niksic, "the leader of the Bosnian Serb parliament, Momcilo Krajisnik, warned on Wednesday that there would be trouble unless the Dayton accord was changed. But he said that he hoped Admiral Smith would help them settle the differences."