MILITARY OPTION ONLY IF PEACEFUL REINTEGRATION FAILS, DECAK SAYS

OSIJEK, Jan 23 (Hina) - "If Croatia is forced to seize back its occupied areas using its army, there could be two possible scenarios: one is conflict with the paramilitaries of Serb rebels, and the other is that the army of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia will become involved in clashes," the commander of the Croatian Army in the Osijek District, General Djuro Decak, told an Osijek press conference Monday. He was commenting on President Tudjman's decision not to renew the UNPROFOR mandate in Croatia. General Decak warned that the second scenario meant all-out war, the consequences of which would be an escalation of the conflict at a larger scale. Only if all the possibilites of peaceful reintegration were exhausted, would Croatia use its armed forces, Gen. Decak said, adding that the decision to end the UNPROFOR mandate did not mean that Croatia would neglect the negotiating process. He said he commanded about 20,000 soldiers. The artillery and rocket support made it possible for them to hit all targets in the occupied Croatian areas, and also deep into the so-called Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) if necessary. The withdrawal of UN peace keepers should be carried out in several phases and with reasonable deadlines, Gen. Decak said, recalling the 1967 Isreali-Egyptian conflict caused by Egypt's President Naser's decision on ousting UN peace keepers prematurely. Gen. Decak said some of the UN troops could be sent to Bosnia- Herzegovina where an additional 6,000 'blue helmets' were needed. (hina) jn sd mms 232057 MET jan 95