ISLAMABAD. Sept 8: The world's Islamic countries are threatening to defy the United Nations arms embargo against Bosnia if it is not lifted, according to a draft resolution released today, reports AP.

Foreign ministers from the 50-nation Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) will vote on the resolution tomorrow. but Pakistan s foreign ministry spokesman. Munir Akram, said it is certain to be approved.

The resolution states that members, acting individually or collectively, can provide the means of self-defence to the

government of Bosnia-•Herzegovlna'.

It's not clear whether that resolution would actually translate into a windfall of weapons for Bosnia's mostly Muslim government.

Bosnian Prime Minister Haris Sllajdzic made an impassioned plea for an end to the arms embargo at the OIC opening session on Wednesday, although he said smuggled weapons were reaching his Muslim fighters.

He refused to identify the nations supplying weapons to Bosnia.

"The Serbs are openly threatening the Muslims with annihilation. What are we to do?' he asked. 'The time has come to help Bosnia .

Meanwhile. Bangldesh Fore ign Minister ASM Mostafizur Rahman has called upon all concerned for protecting the independence and territorial integrity of Bosnia-Herzegovina under any circumstances.

The Issue In Bosnia cannot be categorised as a civil war. It

is in fact a systematic dismemberment of a sovereign country which is also a member of the United Nations." he said while making the agenda statement Wednesday at the extraordinary session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Minis* ters in Islamabad.

According to a message reA celved in Dhaka the

foreign minister observed that the case of Bosnia-Herzegovina "remains an acid test for the credibility of the international community".

Mostafiz said Bangladesh welcomed the • framework agreement signed in Washington In last March between the Bosnian government and the Bosnian Croats aimed at establishing peace in the Republic of Bosnia Herzegovina.

He hoped that the UN Security Council would take ef fectlve action encompassing political, economic and other measures so that the Bosnian Serbs accept the peace agreement without any further delay