ANNAN'S PROPOSAL STEP FORWARD, BUT INSUFFICIENT - CRO AMBASSADOR T O UN

O UN WASHINGTON, June 24 (Hina) - Croatian Ambassador to the United Nations Ivan Simonovic on Tuesday assessed that a report by the UN secretary general, proposing a strategy for the withdrawal of UNTAES from the Croatian Danube region, represented a step forward in the establishment of full Croatian authority in that area but, at the same time, did not fully satisfy Croatia's expectations, due to insufficiently specified withdrawal conditions which made room for arbitrariness in the completion of the process of peaceful reintegration. We assess that the secretary general's report represents another step toward the full establishment of Croatian authority in the Danube region, Simonovic pointed out in a statement issued in New York, adding that the step is neither sufficiently big nor sufficiently determined, but still leads in the right direction. We are not satisfied with the report in the whole, Croatia's Ambassador said, despite some positive emphases it contains. The fact that a series of insufficiently specified conditions have been set for the full transfer of authority after 15 July 1997 causes concern, since it makes possible arbitrariness in evaluating their fulfilment, Simonovic assessed in his statement. It is clear that in the peaceful reintegration process Croatian bodies must comply with all relevant documents, including the Security Council resolutions, the Basic Agreement, the Croatian Government's initiative and obligations therefrom, Simonovic further said, adding that the success of the process depends on this. Some evaluations in the report clash with positive assessments of the situation in the Croatian Danube region until recently made even by officials of the international community, therefore they could be ascribed to the wider context of pressures on Croatia, Ambassador Simonovic said. Any relativization, or association of the UN presence in eastern Slavonia with the development of the situation outside the territory of the Republic of Croatia, is absolutely unacceptable, Simonovic said in his statement. The UN secretary general's report will be the starting point for the passing of a resolution, which will determine the character of the UN presence and mandate, expected after long consultations early next month, Simonovic further said. Until an appropriate Security Council resolution is passed, Croatian diplomacy will make efforts to repair some elements, especially removing vagueness and ambiguity, Simonovic concluded in his statement. (hina) ha jn 241952 MET jun 97