SPECIAL COMMISSION CHECKS FOR MINES IN NIJEMCI, E. SLAVONIA

LIPOVAC, July 5 (Hina) - A special commission of the Nijemci municipality, eastern Slavonia, and experts for clearing mines in the area under the supervision of UNTAES have been visiting local villages in the past three days in order to determine the level of destruction and check for the presence of mines. A delegate of Croatian President Franjo Tudjman for military issues in the Transitional Administration, Major General Slavko Baric, estimated there were about 600,000 mines between the Drava river and Lipovac village. As of today members of a Jordanian battalion blocked access to Lipovac, allowing in only experts. Baric said the checking for the presence of mines would include the villages of Podgradje, Apsevci, Donje Novo Selo and Nijemci in the Nijemci municipality, as well as the villages of Antunovac, Ceric, Marinci, Korodje, Ernestinovo and Bilje. After the checking, a draft plan for the clearing of mines will be formulated and delivered to UNTAES military forces commander, General Schoups, who should accept it on 12 July. (hina) ha as 051931 MET jul 96