CROTIA TO ASK SECURITY COUNCIL TO END UNTAES MANDATE ON JULY 15

ZAGREB, June 12 (Hina) - The Croatian Government and the Croatian State are fulfilling all its obligations from the Letter of Intent, and there is no reason for prolongation of the mandate of UNTAES in its current form, the Croatian Government has said. The Government held a session on Thursday at which it accepted a Report on implementation of the programme for peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danube River area, submitted by a Croatian Vice Premier and Reconstruction and Development Minister, Jure Radic. The Government said that there was no reason for the extension of the UNTAES mandate in the current form, and in particular, of its military component. Foreign Minister Mate Granic told the session that a letter would be forwarded soon to the UN Security Council asking that the current UNTAES mandate should cease on July 15, whereas a civilian monitoring missions would be accepted. The Government also accepted a conclusion that democratically elected local government in the Danube river area must function. It put Minister Radic in charge of notifying UN Transitional Administrator Jacques Klein of the Croatian Government's wish that Klein would sign an annex to the Report in order to verify all that had been so far done together by the Croatian State and the UNTAES. It also ordered to the Foreign Ministry to invite signatories (UNTAES and UNHCR) to an Agreement of Return and once again draw their attention to that the return could proceed only in accordance to the procedure and principles determined by the Agreement, and when it was not the case those who organised such kind of return should assume responsibility for possible incidents and failures before the Croatian and the world public. (hina) mm mš 121349 MET jun 97