$ AY OSIJEK, 19 April (Hina) - The head of the department for military issues of the Croatian Government Office for temporary administration in eastern Slavonia, Baranja and western Srijem, Major General Slavko Baric held a press
conference in Osijek today. He informed reporters about the process of mine-sweeping and demilitarization of the Croatian Danubian area.
M
$ AY
OSIJEK, 19 April (Hina) - The head of the department for military
issues of the Croatian Government Office for temporary
administration in eastern Slavonia, Baranja and western Srijem,
Major General Slavko Baric held a press conference in Osijek today.
He informed reporters about the process of mine-sweeping and
demilitarization of the Croatian Danubian area. #L#
Some 700 people were ready to perform the task of mine-
sweeping within a firm which would be established by the Croatian
Government. Part of financial means necessary for the process of
mine-sweeping had already been secured by the Croatian Government
and the rest would be secured through contracts with foreign
financial institutions, Major General Baric said, adding that roads
and railway lines would be cleaned of mines in the first 30 days.
Speaking about the demilitarization plan which was signed on
15 April by the Transitional Administrator Jacques Klein, Baric
said that the process included the disbanding and disarmament of
army and police forces, the removal of arms which would be put out
of action and the hand-over of military facilities under the
control of the United Nations Transitional Administration in
Eastern Slavonia. The demilitarization, which had to be completed
in 30 days, should start between 6 and 30 May. The plan prohibited
production, import or the amassing of arms.
According to the plan, armed forces were all regular,
paramilitary and volunteer units in the area. The UNTAES would
determine the number and equipment of police officers who would
remain until the Transitional Administration police forces started
controlling the area.
'A joint commission will be formed and it will be chaired by
the UNTAES commander. These plans eliminate any chance that the
peaceful reintegration may not be carried out', Major General Baric
said, stressing Croatia had supported a peaceful solution during
the whole time and was doing all it could 'to speed up the
process'.
(hina) rm mm
191346 MET apr 96