BORDER ON PREVLAKA CONTENTIOUS ON LAND AND SEA -- VUCINIC

PODGORICA, June 18 (Hina) - The primary problem on Prevlaka (Croatia's southernmost peninsula, bordering with Yugoslavia) is the sea border, but the land border is also unclear, head of Montenegro's team of experts for solving the issue of Prevlaka, Nebojsa Vucinic, told Podgorica's daily "Vijesti". "This is a very complex issue which we will consider at the expert, and then at the higher legal and political levels," he said. "This is a complex and comprehensive dispute which must be resolved through negotiations and peacefully," Vucinic said, expressing hope an optimal and acceptable solution for both Croatia and Yugoslavia will be found. The presence of the UN on Prevlaka is proof that this is a dispute between countries, he added. "Besides negotiations at the federal level, Montenegro will most probably also lead negotiations with Croatia, as the most competent and interested in the issue," Vucinic claimed. The peninsula of Prevlaka became a contentious issue as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) has territorial claims to the area, under the pretext of security reasons. Croatia does not consent to any change of its internationally recognised borders, and Zagreb's proposals that the security of the entire area can be ensured by permanent demilitarisation has never meet with any positive response from the Serb-led Yugoslav federal authorities. Since the withdrawal of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) in 1992, the UN observer mission - UNMOP - has been engaged at Prevlaka. (hina) lml