GHALI PUBLICIZES REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF UNTAES MANDATE

WASHINGTON, 4 (Hina) - U.N. Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali on Thursday stated that the U.N. Transitional Administration in Eastern Slavonia (UNTAES) was in its present phase faced with the unwillingness of some Croatian Serb leaders in eastern Slavonia to cooperate in the implementation of the UNTAES mandate, as well as with bureaucratic obstacles on the Croatian side and a feeling of insecurity among the local population. #L# In a U.N. Security Council report on the implementation of the UNTAES mandate, publicized in New York yesterday, Ghali said that political and administrative questions, which remained to be solved, could be solved only through direct contacts of the two sides. The beginning of that process of direct contacts was an encouraging sign, Ghali said, adding it would help the two sides reach agreement on many political questions, including the ones on the date of complete and successful elections. Ghali demanded from Croatia to immediately fulfill its financial obligations and enable the functioning of public services in the region, to speed up the issuing of Croatian identity papers and launch a campaign which would inform Croatian citizens about the remaining steps which are necessary for successful reintegration of the Croatian Danubian area. There were some hard-line elements in the local Serb leadership, who prevented the economic development of the region, the return of displaced Croats and long-term protection of human rights as well as the re-establishment the multiethnicity of the Croatian Danubian area, Ghali said. The wisest course for those who had taken over the responsibility of leading their people was full cooperation with the UNTAES and a constructive attitude towards cooperation with the Croatian government, Ghali stressed in the report. (hina) rm mm 041118 MET oct 96