LAND OWNERS ON PREVLAKA WANT ACCESS TO THEIR LAND

( Editorial: --> 4106 ) DUBROVNIK, May 15 (Hina) - Owners of land on Croatia's southernmost peninsula of Prevlaka have requested the Croatian Government to secure them access to their property on the peninsula before the opening of border crossings between Croatia and Montenegro starts. Since October 1992, UN observers have been monitoring the demilitarised zone on Prevlaka from both sides of the border. Residents of the Konavle municipality, who cannot visit their land due to the ongoing UN mission, in March this year established an Association for the Protection of Ownership Rights. Following announcements of talks on the opening of border crossings between Croatia and Montenegro, members of the Association on Friday sent an open letter to the Croatian Government and Foreign Minister Mate Granic, in which they presented their requests. The issue of borders has to be solved first so that we can come to our land on Prevlaka. Then we can talk about opening border crossings, said the Association's president Ivo Braticevic at a press conference in Dubrovnik. An Association member Luka Tomusic said that the question of the Prevlaka peninsula was a state problem. He added that Croatia would be whole only when the Croatian flag was hoisted on Cape Ostra on Prevlaka. The issue of the border is not disputable for Croatia because Croatia was recognised within its borders, which was confirmed in UN resolutions concerning the monitoring mission on Prevlaka. It is only Yugoslav officials who speak about "the territorial dispute" which should "be solved through negotiations". Croatia has mentioned on several occasions that the change of borders cannot be discussed but that, in the interest of security, it is ready to negotiate with Yugoslavia about permanent demilitarisation of the region on a reciprocal basis. (hina) jn rm/mrb 151636 MET may 98