CROATIA ASKS U.N. ADMINISTRATION TO STEP UP BORDER CONTROL

OSIJEK, Feb 11 (Hina) - The head of the Croatian government office for the UN-administered Danube river region, Ivica Vrkic, sent a letter to UN Transitional Administrator General Jacques Klein on Tuesday, asking him to step up control at border crossings with Yugoslavia. "According to our information, Transitional Police Force (TPF) officers at Batina and Bogojevo bridges have reported people leaving the area and taking away property. However, the TPF cannot take further steps because truck drivers have documents issued by local authorities which certify that what they do is legal," Vrkic said. Vrkic asked Klein to use his influence to increase control at border crossings with Yugoslavia in order to put an end to the uncontrolled taking of property out of the UN-administered area. "We propose that traffic across the border crossings with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia be suspended until full control has been introduced, so that persons who decide to move should have permission from Croatian authorities, UNTAES and local authorities to take take their property," the letter said. Vrkic noted that 204 trucks loaded with building material, agricultural machines, technical equipment and furniture had crossed the Croatian-Yugoslav border at Batina-Bezdan and Erdut-Bogojevo between 1 and 10 February. (hina) vm mm 111839 MET feb 97