VUKOVAR'S TRUST ESTABLISHMENT COMMITTEE HOLDS SESSION

( Editorial: --> 0276 ) VUKOVAR, Dec 22 (Hina) - The commander of the Transitional Police Force (TPF) in the Vukovar area, Josip Grcanac, on Monday appealed to residents of the UN-administered Croatian Danube region to have confidence in the TPF and to cooperate with it so that police could find perpetrators of criminal offences more easily. Although the security situation in the Vukovar area has been mainly stable since September, 11 cases of throwing explosive devices were registered in September, October and November, of which six have been solved, Grcanac told a session of the local trust establishment committee in Vukovar. The TPF commander condemned last night's explosions in the Danube river town. Appealing to the local population for cooperation, Grcanac said that police would protect the safety of all citizens regardless of their ethnic background. He said that the percentage of solved crimes had increased from 15 per cent six months ago to 46 per cent, adding that sometimes it was even 64 per cent. Responding to a claim by committee member Petar Djukic that warrants for the arrest of some Serbs had not been suspended so that they could not leave the UN-administered area for other parts of Croatia, Grcanac said that besides valid court rulings against 25 persons there were no other lists of war crimes suspects and that everyone could go freely wherever they pleased. He allowed for the possibility of a mistake in records, but added that anyone illegally arrested would be immediately released. Djukic commended the work of the Croatian Interior Ministry in the region and clear statements by Assistant Interior Minister Josko Moric. On behalf of the Serb members of the committee and Serb residents of Vukovar, Serb Independent Democratic Party (SDSS) vice president Miroslav Keravica wished the Catholic faithful in the Vukovar area a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. (hina) vm 221352 MET dec 97