WALKER: UNTAES WILL VERY LIKELY LEAVE CROATIA MID-JANUARY ( Editorial: --> 2828 )

( Editorial: --> 2828 ) ZAGREB, Nov 21 (Hina) - The UNTAES will very likely leave Croatia in mid-January 1998, UN Transitional Administrator for eastern Croatia William Walker told reporters in Zagreb Friday, adding there was a possibility that a UN civilian police with a monitoring mission would remain in Croatia after the UNTAES left. Walker held talks in Zagreb with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Sadako Ogata, which focused on the situation in the Danube river region of eastern Croatia and future activities of the UNHCR. The possibility that the UNTAES would leave in mid-January was very high, Walker told reporters after the meeting. Asked to comment on an announced possibility that after the UNTAES leaves, the UN civil police may stay in eastern Croatia with a monitoring mission, the transitional administrator said he had already discussed that possibility with Croatian President Franjo Tudjman. "It is a distinct possibility", Walker told reporters. According to unofficial sources, Croatia has already agreed to the presence of the UN Civil Police Support Group in eastern Croatia after the UNTAES leaves. Negotiations have yet to be formally completed, the source added. The UN Support Group will consist of 160 people whose main task will be to supervise and assist in the work of local police, the source said, adding the mission will be temporary and that the deadlines of its activity have not yet been determined. Walker said he was satisfied with the current situation in eastern Croatia. According to Ogata, the most important mission of the UNHCR in eastern Croatia was to carry out a two-way return of displaced persons and refugees, namely the return of displaced Croats to eastern Slavonia and the return of Serb refugees to other parts of Croatia. "We will carry on this mission even after the UNTAES leaves", Ogata said. She expected there would be a civilian police force in the area which would help in stabilizing the situation and implementing the UNHCR mission. (hina) ha 212045 MET nov 97