UN CIVIL POLICE REPORT ON INCIDENT IN EASTERN CROATIA

( Editorial: --> 4098 ) VUKOVAR, Feb 23 (Hina) - A serious incident took place in Baranjsko Petrovo Selo in the Osijek-Baranja County, eastern Croatia, on Sunday, UN Civil Police support group spokesman Douglas Hoffman said Monday. Hoffman said about 100 Croats gathered in the village, greeted each other with fascist salutes, set fire to Serb symbols and stopped traffic. A spokesman for the Vukovar-based office of the Croatian assistant interior minister, Slavko Rako, confirmed today an incident did take place in Baranjsko Petrovo Selo during yesterday's carnival but not within the framework put forward by the UN. Details on the incident will be known tomorrow morning, when an official statement from the Osijek-Baranja County police is expected, Rako said. Hoffman assessed that from UN's point of view, the incident was very serious and considerably unsettling. He hoped the Croatian Government's National Committee for the restoration of trust, whose work was especially appreciated, would continue to implement the agreed policy which should restore trust and peace in the Danube river region of eastern Croatia. (hina) ha mm 232043 MET feb 98