OSCE REPS SPEAK TO CROATIAN DANUBE REGION SERB REPS

VUKOVAR, Oct 4 (Hina) - A delegation of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) headed by the director of the OSCE Office for democratic institutions and human rights, Gerard Stoudmann, and OSCE Mission chief in Croatia, Tim Guldimann, held talks with Croatian Parliament MP and president of the Independent Serb Democratic Party (SDSS), Vojislav Stanimirovic, and president of the Joint Council of Municipalities, Milos Vojnovic, in Vukovar on Saturday. During talks about the peaceful reintegration of the Danube river region and work of OSCE in the region after the completion of the UNTAES mandate on15 January next year, OSCE representatives expressed special interest in the work and role of police in the process. Stanimirovic advocated that a UN civilian police remained in the area after the expiry of the UNTAES mandate, for the reason that trust between Croats and Serbs had not yet been restored. The international community had psychologically prepared Serbs in the area for the return of Croats, but Croats were not prepared to return to the Danubian area, nor accept the return of Serbs to other parts of Croatia, so a situation in which some serious incident could drive all the residents presently in the Danubian area to leave the region was feasible, Stanimirovic said. This was why the civilian police should stay and be authorised to take on executive authority in a moment of crisis, if necessary, he added. Representatives of the twenty-member OSCE delegation said that control over the police was a priority in the future period. The Serb representatives spoke about the current situation in the Danube area, and expressed dissatisfaction with the work of the local self-government, education and health, as well as the insufficient representation of Serbs in reintegrated companies. (hina) lm 041545 MET oct 97