DEFENCE AND NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES DANUBIAN REGION

( Editorial: --> 5546 ) ZAGREB, Jan 19 (Hina) - The Croatian Defence and National Security Council (VONS) held a meeting chaired by President Franjo Tudjman on Monday. The meeting considered the responsibilities of all administrative bodies in carrying out the state policy in areas of the Vukovar- Sirmium and Osijek-Baranja Counties which have been reintegrated into the constitutional and legal order of the Republic of Croatia, said a statement from the President's Office. The Council strongly condemned individual incidents which had occurred in that area in the past few days, and also commended the quick and effective action by members of the Interior Ministry (MUP) in identifying and arresting the perpetrators. The meeting also praised the work of the National Committee for the restoration of trust, which continues to work for the normalisation of life, a quicker return of refugees and displaced people, and the establishment of trust. It was proposed that a coordination body of administration be set up, whose leaders Vesna Skare-Ozbolt, Ivica Vrkic and Josko Moric, together with the county prefects, would have the task of securing the carrying out of state policies and efficient work of all administrative and local self-governing bodies. It was stressed that it was the duty of all county, town and municipal administrative bodies to operate in their headquarters, that all officials and employees should return immediately in the Danube River region to their work places, and in order to secure better efficiency, the VONS also considered changes in local administrative bodies. At the VONS meeting it was proposed that the Memorial Medal "Vukovar" be presented to all people who in 1991 were active in the defence of the Croatian Danube River region, and that the medal also be presented to all those who contributed to the successful implementation and completion of the process of peaceful reintegration. (Hina) jn mb 191733 MET jan 98