UN SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS UNMOP MANDATE TO ANOTHER SIX MONTHS

NEW YORK, July 13 (Hina) - The United Nations Security Council on Thursday decided to extend the mandate to the United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (the southmost Croatian peninsula) until January 15, 2001. Resolution 1307 was unanimously endorsed, and its context is a copy of a Security Council document dating early this year. Partly, this is a reflection of an unchanged situation regarding Prevlaka, but also the lack of determination of the Council. The reiteration of an invitation to renew negotiations between Belgrade and Zagreb on the final solution for the Prevlaka issue is the sign that the Council has confidence in the agreement of both sides and is not ready to cut the long-standing knot. The Croatian Ambassador to the United Nations Ivan Simonovic said bilateral talks with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia continued to fail to bring results due to the (Yugoslav) stubborn denial of international borders in Prevlaka. He said that based on a joint statement of Croatian and Montenegrin Foreign Ministers Tonino Picula and Branko Lukovac, Croatia would continue talks with the Montenegrin authority. Due to tensions in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Croatia accepts another six-months extension of the UNMOP mandate. I hope this is the last time that the Security Council enforces its old resolutions, and that Croatia is accepting this due to tensions in the neighbouring state, the tourist season and readiness to contribute to the stability in the region, said Simonovic. (hina) it mm