JOINT COUNCIL OF MUNICIPALITIES: SITUATION IN DANUBE REGION STABLE

VUKOVAR, March 31 (Hina) - The Joint Council of (Serb-dominated) Municipalities (ZVO) on Wednesday assessed the security situation in the Croatian Danube River region was stable despite NATO air strikes on neighbouring Yugoslavia. The association said this in a statement issued following a meeting of ZVO representatives, local officials from towns and municipalities-members of the ZVO, and representatives of the Serb Democratic Independent Party (SDSS) in Vukovar today. The ZVO called on members of the Serb ethnic community in Croatia, particularly those living in the region, to behave in a dignified manner and refrain from uncontrolled reactions and not fall for provocations, which could threaten security in that part of Croatia. The ZVO supports peace messages sent out over the past several days by the Serb Patriarch Pavle, Pope John Paul II, Russian Patriarch Alexey and other church dignitaries. It also supports requests by Croatian Serb associations that all military operations in Yugoslavia and military activities in its neighbourhood should immediately cease. "We support the cessation of all forms of violence and imposing of political solutions by force, especially because we believe that political solutions are possible and necessary to stop the humanitarian catastrophe in Yugoslavia", the ZVO said. (hina) rml