WASHINGTON. Aug 7 The United States wants Bosnia's president to know air strikes against hts Serbian foes are un likely unless he returns to the negotiating table, a While House official soys. reports AP

The Republican opposition leader of the US Senate. Bob Dole, however, bluntly attacked the Geneva negotiations over former Yugoslavia and urged President Clinton to rethink hl» position .. and to commit the United States to supporting only a settlement that does not reward aggression and genocide of the Serbs

This la not just Bosnia's but chance, but the International

community’s last chance to do what Is right — to prevent the fall and partition of Bosnia.' Dole sdH In a Friday statement* Bosnian President Alija Izet

begovlc pulled out of the Gene va talks this week to protest Serb offensives around Saraj evo. his capita

Our position is that use of forceful action Is designed to encourage negotiations In Gene va. to relieve the humanltjsrtan deterioration In Sarajevo and to end the strangulation.' a White Heus* foreign policy official, who spoke on condition of ano nymlty. said Thursday night

NATO earlier Inis week threatened to bomb Serb poal

lions around Sarajevo

The administration official who spoke anonymously In Washington snld the Bosnians were told Thursday that If Irctbegovic Is seen as holding uo ihe oeace prrxm the air

strikes tvould be less likely to occur

The Serbs promised Thur sday IO end ihetr sw-gr on Sara jevo Although the United States Is skeptical of Ihe Serbian promise, officials warned txrlbeg ovl< Itai his absence al Genres could makr It look like his govemmenl not the Serbs — arc an obstacle to peace

Dole charged that Geneva negotiators David Owen and Thorvald Stoltenberg 'are merely faellltatora of Bosnian sur render their solution to silencing the guns around Sara Jevo Is lo give the aggressors what they want. This is not a negntiatan '

The senator added Owen ata Stoltenberg 'should take a long vacation' to review UN resolutions upholding the Integrity of Bosnia Herzegovina and their own earlier statements against partition and dismemberment.'

Thp US and NATO oflfotals sent a strong signal Friday to Bosnia s Serba to hall ihelf siege of Sarajevo or far swift

military action. The military operation la ready.' said Secretary of State Warren Chris-

Chrtetopher flew to an US Air Force base in Italy, for a briefing by NATO Secretary General Manfred Woerner and US Gen John Shallkeahvlli. the alliance's top military comman-

At a news conference after ward. Woerner said a final decision on military plans will be made by the 16 allies next week. The NATO militaiy com mltlee will meet Saturday and the alliance’s governing body In Brussels will review plans on Monday.

"I am confident we will come to conclusions next week," he said.

In Washington, officials at the White House and the Pentagon said they hoped the military plan would win approval at Monday's meeting, but that a final decision by NATO to execute it probably would come at a later, separate meeting.

Meanwhile, Bosnian Serbs are consolidating their positions on two key mountains southwest of Sarajevo while disagreements continue on their promise to withdraw, UN officials said Saturday,

Territorial disputes arose Friday, over where the Serb frontltners were before last week's capture of Mounts BJetasnica Igman, said UN ctvil affairs chief Viktor Andreyev.

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