TEXT OF PRESIDENT TUDJMAN'S LETTER TO GHALI

ZAGREB, Jan 12 (hina) - The following is the full text of President Tudjman's letter today to Boutros-Boutros Ghali on ending the UNPROFOR mandate in Croatia. "Excellency, The on-going crisis in South-Eastern Europe, started by the aggression of the Yugoslav Communist Army and of Serbia and Montenegro, following the dissolution of the former SFR of Yugoslavia, against Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, has become a grave security threat to the whole region. In its progress the crisis has disrupted international peace and paralyzed numerous international fora: the United Nations, the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, etc. The unspeakable crimes committed against humanity and great suffering of millions of people have been putting an ever increasing strain on international institutions and humanitarian organizations. The international community, including the United Nations, has been involved in attempts to resolve the crisis from its outbreak. The Vance Plan and the UNPROFOR mission had positive effects on the situation in the beginning. UNPROFOR and UNHCR, as well as other humanitarian organizations, have made significant contributions in respect of humanitarian needs in Croatia. UNPROFOR played an important role in the withdrawal of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) from Croatia (although the JNA left on that occasion its armament to the local Serb insurgents). UNPROFOR's arrival signified an end to large-scale hostilities in Croatia. During its engagement more than 50 of its members have lost their lives and more than 500 have been wounded while valiantly carrying out their duties in Croatia. Croatia will always remain grateful and will remember their ultimate sacrifice and the loss to their families. Despite its endeavours, UNPROFOR has been unable to implement the most important operative provisions of the Vance Plan and subsequent Security Council resolutions, including the latest Resolution 947(1994). The key provisions of the Vance Plan (Res. 740/1992, preceded by the Res. 721/1991) included: the demilitarization of the UNPAs (i.e., disarming and disbanding of rebel Serb units); the establishment of the local police force (with only side arms) in a proportion reflecting the national composition of the population which lived there before the hostilities, under civilian UN police monitors; the development of military observers in parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina adjacent to Croatia; the return of displaced persons to their homes. None of these provisions have been implemented. Moreover, a critically important element of the peace process, i.e., the control of Croatia's international border, provided for by Resolution 769 (1992), has not been enforced. Mr. Secretary General, As the previous UNPROFOR mandate was about to expire, you came to the conclusion, in your Report to the Security Council (S/1994/1667 of September 17, 1994), that the Vance Plan and all subsequent resolutions had not been implemented due to the opposition of rebel Serbs in UNPAs, with the exception that (notwithstanding frequent violations) armed hostilities had ceased. You further concluded that UNPROFOR was in no position to discharge its responsibilities and meet the demands justifiably made by Croatia, because it lacked the required forces and resources, and that such a stalemate contributed to sustaining the unsatisfactory status quo. The situation has not changed since at all. The responsibility still rests with the Government with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) and its proxies in the occupied territories of Croatia. The Belgrade Government and the local Serb authorities in Knin have accepted only some minor provisions of the Security Council resolutions. They continue to reject any decisive measures outlined by the Security Council and the General Assembly aimed at reintegrating the occupied territories into Croatia. On the contrary, the process of integrating the occupied territories of Croatia into the political, military, legal and administrative system of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) continues despite the General Assembly resolution 49/43 of last month declaring that the UNPAs are de facto occupied territories of the Republic of Croatia. In the two years of UNPROFOR presence in Croatia, the process of ethnic cleansing of the Croats and non-Serbs in the occupied territories has been completed. Before the arrival of UNPROFOR Serb insurgents, aided by the JNA, expelled (ethnically cleansed( from the occupied territories 390,000 non-Serb residents (Croats, Hungarians, Ruthenians, Czechs, Slovaks, etc.) and killed many thousands at the same time. Some 600 Croats have been killed and 12,000 of them forcefully expelled since UNPROFOR has been entrusted with protection of these territories. Plunder of Croatian wealth and natural resources, as well as destruction of property, have continued. Moreover, the occupied territories of Croatia have been used for constant attacks on other parts of Croatia and even Bosnia and Herzegovina. The international community has recently been aghast and scandalized when the UN Safe Zone of Bihac in neighbouring Bosnia-Herzegovina has been unchallengedly attacked by Serb insurgents from UNPAs. These attacks by the UNPA Serbian forces continue even today, despite the general cease-fire agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in gross violation of all international norms. Croatia has demonstrated and exercised the highest degree of good will, co-operation and restraint during the last two difficult years. Croatia has even accepted considerable modifications to the Vance Plan, such as the establishment of the "pink zones" and the "blue lines", the latter being an element of the Zagreb Cease-fire Agreement of March 29, 1994, which has been grossly violated, most blatantly so through the co-ordinated offensive and aggression on Bihac by the Serbs from the occupied territories of Croatia. The Economic Agreements signed on December 2, 1994, which have to be viewed as yet another clear proof of Croatia's full readiness to proceed with its programme of peaceful re-integration of the occupied territories, are not being implemented except with respect to the opening of the highway in UNPA West, but even that has not been done pursuant to the Agreement. Less than one-tenth of these Agreements have been implemented so far, with rather slim chances for real further progress, because local Serbs are interpreting the resolutions and decisions of the UN, and the Economic Agreements, as allowing them to secede from Croatia. Excellency, Croatia finds the present situation in the occupied territories wholly unacceptable. Moreover, given the present inefficient UNPROFOR mission, Croatia finds the continued presence of UNPROFOR in the occupied territories to be significantly counterproductive to the peace process. The Serb intransigence and UNPROFOR's reserve is de facto allowing the promoting occupation of the parts of Croatia's territory. The "freezing" of a negative status quo is unacceptable for the Croatian Government. The Parliament of the Republic of Croatia, by its Resolution of September 23, 1994, decided that the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) mandate in Croatia would be conditionally extended for a period of one hundred days, following its expiration on September 30, only if specific steps were undertaken and results achieved during that period. On the basis of the aforementioned and Croatia's overall experience during the last two years I can only conclude that, although UNPROFOR has played an important role in stopping violence and major conflicts in Croatia, it is an indisputable fact that the present character of the UNPROFOR mission does not provide conditions necessary for establishing lasting peace and order in the Republic of Croatia, a sovereign UN Member State. Mr. Secretary General, Therefore, as the President of the Republic of Croatia, I have the honour to inform you that the UNPROFOR mandate is hereby terminated effective March 31, 1995 in accordance with Resolution 947 (1994). The Croatian Government will immediately contact your Special Representative Mr. Y. Akashi and will discuss with him all the questions regarding the withdrawal of UNPROFOR forces. We hope it will be accomplished in a dignified, proper and efficient way till the end of the mandate or no later than three months after the expiry of the mandate. Croatia is also prepared to conclude with the United Nations an agreement on continued logistic assistance and support for UNPROFOR's operations in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the continued and uninterrupted functioning of the UNPROFOR Headquarters in ZAGREB. In both aspects the UN can fully count and rely on the continued support and assistance of the appropriate Croatian Government institutions. Excellency, The termination of the UNPROFOR mandate will not put an end to the negotiations; on the contrary, it should provide a new impetus for their more efficient outcome. The Republic of Croatia remains committed to its long-standing policy of peaceful re-integration of its occupied territories and continues to offer to all Serbs in Croatia cultural autonomy and the highest level of local autonomy in the counties in which the Serbs constituted the majority according to the pre-war census. Full respect of all human rights, and especially minority rights, can be observed and monitored by appropriate representatives of the international community. Croatia is also prepared to intensify the negotiating process with the Belgrade authorities leading to mutual recognition within internationally recognized borders. It is however, our most determined demand that the sanctions against Belgrade regime and Bosnian Serbs should not be suspended before the recognition of Croatia within its internationally recognized borders by Belgrade, as a prerequisite for the peaceful reintegration of occupied parts of Croatia. Should the negotiations with the local Serb authorities be successful, Croatia is willing to re-open the discussion on establishing appropriate implementation and international monitoring of confidence building mechanisms. The Republic of Croatia remains deeply grateful and indebted to the thousands of UNPROFOR men and women who have served honorably in Croatia, to Your Excellency, to the UN Security Council, to the many UNPROFOR troop-contributing countries, and to all Member States that have financed and supported the present peacekeeping operation in Croatia. Our decision should not be misunderstood under any circumstances. Croatia remains fully committed to the interests of the international community focused on peaceful establishment of a new international order in the region, and to its responsibility therein. The international community should continue to count on Croatia in this regard." Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration," the letter concludes. (hina) jn sd 122106 MET jan 95