CROATIAN SOLDIERS TO REPLACE OSCE IN VUKOVAR BARRACKS SOON

VUKOVAR, Dec 18 (Hina) - The Croatian army should soon start using the barracks of the eastern Croatian town of Vukovar, which currently houses an Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) coordinating centre. The date of the Croatian soldiers' entry into the barracks will be set by the Croatian defence minister following talks with the head of the OSCE Mission to Croatia, Major General Slavko Baric, the head of the Second military district said after meeting the head of the coordinating centre, Ambassador Jan Sizoo, on Tuesday. Several of the 16 facilities of the Vukovar barracks have to be renovated, which will cost DM1.7 million if carried out by foreign contractors, said Baric, but added Croatian army engineering units would perform the works in order to save money. Ambassador Sizoo said Defence Minister Jozo Rados would have to forward an official letter on the state's intention to use the Vukovar barracks, which accommodates a 30-member OSCE staff. The OSCE does not have a position as to the return of Croatian soldiers in the barracks and does not want to interfere in the issue, he said. (hina) ha