UN SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS UN MANDATE ON PREVLAKA

WASHINGTON, July 14 (Hina) - The UN Security Council on Monday extended the mandate of 28 UN military monitors on Prevlaka until 15 January 1998. UN military monitors on Prevlaka, Croatia's southern-most tip bordering the Yugoslav Republic of Montenegro, are in charge of monitoring the situation in the demilitarized area. With an adopted resolution, the UN Security Council called on the sides to comply with their international commitments, to fully implement the agreement on the normalization of relations between Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, signed last year, and to adopt practical measures proposed by UN monitors last year in order to improve security in the area. The Croatian and the Yugoslav sides are requested to cease all violations of the demilitarization regime on Prevlaka, as well as military and other activities, and to cooperate fully with the UN military monitors. The UN Security Council was concerned at hearing UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's conclusion that the sides did not make any progress in reducing tension and improving security in the area, or in coming to a peaceful solution concerning the Prevlaka issue. The UN Secretary General has the obligation to submit a new report on the situation in the area by 5 January 1998. The current mandate of the UN monitors on Prevlaka expires on 15 July 1997. (hina) ha 141807 MET jul 97