61.   He was meeting senior PLO officials later Friday on the prisoner issue.

62.   However, linkage between thousands of missing in Bosnian Serb-held territory and the PoW release had became a factor in the prisoner issue, De Maio said.

63.   However, talks between the two sides on the prisoners issue have progressed only slowly, and only two cases have so far been closed.

64.   Abdel Meguid said moves to settle the prisoner issue through the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Arab League or other parties should continue.

65.   Both sides had agreed to settle the prisoner issue by Monday.

66.   But western impatience with the former belligerents has continued to rise on the prisoners issue, though compliance with military aspects of the plan has gone smoothly.

67.   Colonel Vladimir Ivanov, head of the Russian team discussing prisoner issues, said the five could be handed over soon.

68.   During negotiations, Israeli delegates said the prisoner issue was among last-minute differences.

69.   Earlier Sunday, Momcilo Krajisnik, speaker of the self-styled Bosnian Serb assembly, accused Bildt of siding with the Moslems over the prisoner issue.

70.   The prisoner issue remains one of the main stumbling blocks in normalising relations between the two countries.