U.N. CHIEF REPORTS ON SERBS' RIGHTS IN LIBERATED AREAS OF CROATIA

WASHINGTON, March 7 (Hina) - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Friday issued a regular report on the human rights situation in the former UN protected areas of Croatia. Annan said that the security conditions for the mainly elderly Serbs living in those areas, and particularly around Knin, were unsatisfactory. The majority of reported incidents involved petty criminal offences, including cattle theft and threats, the report said. The situation in the Western Slavonia region was estimated better than in the other former UN sectors. The difficult living conditions for the remaining Serbs were substantially alleviated last winter with intensive humanitarian programmes carried out by international organizations in cooperation with the Croatian government and Red Cross. Annan described as positive the issuance of documents to almost all remaining Serbs in the former UN sectors and efforts to ensure them other rights, including pension rights, and the reconstruction of infrastructure. The report said that little progress had been made with regard to the return of young members of the Croatian Serb families who remained in the former UN sectors. The office of the prosecutor of the Hague-based international war crimes tribunal had reported that the Croatian government had failed to provide the requested assistance and information, Annan said. (hina) vm mm 071724 MET mar 97