BARANJA CONNECTED TO CROATIA'S ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEM

OSIJEK, Aug 17 (Hina) - The inclusion of the eastern region of Baranja into Croatia's electric power system was marked in Osijek on Sunday when a double 6.5-km-long transmission line was set to work in the presence of the general manager of the Croatian Power Supply Industry (HEP), Damir Begovic, Osijek-Baranja County Prefect Branimir Glavas, and UN deputy transitional administrator for the Danube region of eastern Croatia, Souren Seraydarian. Thanking contractors and UNTAES on its cooperation, Begovic recalled today's event occurred only three weeks after an agreement on the inclusion of the Danube region into Croatia's electric power system was signed. The rest of the Danube region would be included by the agreed deadline of 31 August, he announced. Begovic said the mine-clearing of the Valpovo-Beli Manastir transmission line should be completed in about ten days, after which the Baranja region would be connected to the Croatian electric power system via two lines. According to Prefect Glavas, HEP's entrance in the Danube region was a step forward in the establishment of Croatian authority and better living in this area. UN's Seraydarian assessed today's event as a significant step in the peaceful reintegration and as evidence of willingness on all sides to settle issues in the process together. HEP and UNTAES representatives later visited a transformer station in Bilje. (hina) ha 171514 MET aug 97