CROATIA NEGOTIATES ON SOME FORM OF UN PRESENCE AFTER UNTAES ( Editorial: --> 0875 )

( Editorial: --> 0875 ) ZAGREB, Nov 14 (Hina) - Croatia has been conducting negotiations in relation to a form of UN presence in the eastern Danube river region after the termination of the UNTAES mandate, but excludes every possibility of a UN executive mandate, Croatia's diplomatic sources said Friday. Considering that the negotiations are still in course, the sources could not say what the UN presence should be like. They said however, that "Croatia cannot accept any executive UN mandate" in the Danube river region. Austrian secretary of state Benita Ferrero Waldner, who today held talks at the Croatian foreign ministry, suggested that UN civil policemen should stay in the Croatian Danube region as part of a monitoring mission after the expiry of the UNTAES mandate on 15 January 1998. For a certain period, perhaps until 15 September she said, the UN civil police could guide the local police. Waldner held talks with representatives of the UN civil police in the Danube region yesterday. She believed such an extension of the UN presence in eastern Croatia would assist further building of trust between the two national communities there. The UNTAES mandate in eastern Croatia is generally assessed as one of the most successful UN mission to date. (hina) ha jn 141637 MET nov 97