VUKOVAR CELEBRATES CHRISTMAS

( Editorial: --> 0881 ) VUKOVAR, Dec 25 (Hina) - Parish priest Ante Perkovic on Thursday served Mass from the Croatian Radio Vukovar studio in this eastern Croatian town under the UN Transitional Administration. Wishing all the best for Christmas to all people listening to Radio Vukovar, Perkovic called on all people from Vukovar to return to the town and help in its reconstruction and the creation of unity, peace, tolerance and co-existence. Perkovic greeted all people alive and displaced, all those who could not be in Vukovar on this day, all people killed in the Homeland War, people whose whereabouts are unknown, and all residents of the region. He announced he would return to Vukovar soon and serve regular Sunday mass for all his parishioners. Christmas mass was also served in St. Martin's church in Beli Manastir (eastern Croatia, under UN administration) on Thursday, for the first time in six years. Attending were many people from Baranja, including displaced persons and returnees. The mass was served by parish priest Josip Koscak, who stressed that the "church has been damaged, burnt and pillaged, but has nevertheless received all those who have waited these long years to return". Transitional Police Force commissioner, Ivan Babic, said that the security situation on Christmas eve had been on a high level, the office of the assistant Croatian Interior Minister, Josko Moric, said on Thursday. "I am exceptionally satisfied and I congratulate the transitional police officers of a job well done," Babic said. (hina) lm 251827 MET dec 97