Italy experts say Bosnia radiation tests negative

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

Italy experts say Bosnia radiation tests negative
  
SARAJEVO, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Italian military experts said on Thursday 
they had found no increased radiation levels in areas where their 
country's peacekeeping troops were stationed in Bosnia following the 
1992-95 war. 

They issued their findings following controversy over NATO's use of 
depleted uranium ammunition in the Balkans and allegations that 
peacekeepers may have developed leukaemia as a result. NATO has said 
the ammunition posed a "negligible hazard. 

"We have made screening of five places and the results were 
negative," Lieutenant Luca Napoli told reporters, adding that the 
tests would continue at another 24 locations, mostly barracks and 
guard posts. 

"We hope that the results would be the same," said Napoli, who 
commands a 40-strong Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Platoon that 
arrived in Bosnia last month. 

Italy was one of the first and most vocal NATO members calling for a 
full alliance inquiry into the effects of depleted uranium ammunition 
after several of its soldiers who served in the Balkans died of 
leukaemia in recent months. 

NATO said last month the ammunition, used against Bosnian Serb troops 
in Bosnia in 1994 and 1995 and against Serb forces in Kosovo in 1999, 
posed no significant risk to troops or civilians. 

As Napoli spoke to reporters, three soldiers from his unit dressed in 
white protective overalls conducted radiation tests on nearby 
vehicles and buildings in the Tito barracks in central Sarajevo. 

The barracks host some two-thirds of a total of some 1,600 Italian 
troops in the Balkan country. 

Lieutenant Claudio Linda, a spokesman for the Italian contingent of 
the Stabilisation Force (SFOR), said a specialist medical team also 
deployed in the barracks but after several weeks of mostly blood and 
urine tests had found nothing unusual. 

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Sandy Perle					Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100   				    	
Director, Technical				Extension 2306 				     	
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Service		Fax:(714) 668-3149 	                   		    
ICN Pharmaceuticals, Inc.			E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net 				                           
ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Avenue  		E-Mail: sperle@icnpharm.com          	          
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Personal Website: http://sandyfl.nukeworker.net
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com

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