CROATIAN HELSINKI COMMITTEE TO OPEN OFFICES IN SERB-HELD TOWNS

ZAGREB, July 3 (Hina) - The Croatian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights (HHO) said on Wednesday it was planning to open offices in the Serb-held towns of Vukovar, Beli Manastir and Ilok in eastern Croatia. This was one of the conclusions passed at the annual plenary session of the HHO in Osijek, HHO president Ivan Zvonimir Cicak told a press conference in Zagreb. HHO Presidency member Ivo Banac said that the UN administrator in the occupied area, US General Jacques Klein, had confirmed that there were no obstacles to the HHO opening its offices in the three towns. The first one was most likely to be opened in Ilok in about four weeks' time, Banac said. "It is of vital importance to prepare the ground for the peaceful restoration of Croatian authority in the area," he added. HHO executive director Petar Mrkalj spoke about "a very dramatic" situation in the area of central Croatia liberated by Croatian army forces last year. Mrkalj said that there were still cases of looting, blowing up houses and killing people in the area. He said that the worst situation was in Knin, the former rebel Serb stronghold. Cicak said that HHO had discovered two more mass graves in the area. "The number of crosses on graves known from before has increased since last year, which indicates that killings are taking place even after Operation Storm," he added. Cicak welcomed the appointment of Ante Klaric as ombudsman and invited him to cooperation. (hina) vm 031837 MET jul 96