CROATIA ALREADY WORKING ON SUBSTITUTE MODEL FOR UNPROFOR: GRANIC

GENEVA, Feb 27 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister, Mate Granic, today in Geneva, addressed the 51st session of the UN Commission for Human Rights. Granic explained the reasons behind Croatia's decision to cancel the UNPROFOR mandate. After mentioning positive tasks by UNPROFOR, Granic went on to say that UNPROFOR did not implement the major provisions outlined in the Vance plan or subsequent UN resolutions aimed at creating conditions for the return of displaced people. The so-called UNPAs had not been demilitarised, illegal paramilitary Serbian units were yet to be disarmed, heavy weapons, mostly JNA artillery - supposed to be under UNPROFOR control - were presently being used for trans-border aggression against the UN safe zone around Bihac. But worst of all, was UNPROFOR's failure to properly contribute to the full and effective control of Croatia's borders. We have witnessed further expulsion by force and killing: more than 600 Croats have been killed and an additional 12,000 Croats and non-Serb civilians exepelled, 26 have women raped, and 1617 persons have been tortured by the Serb militia forces in the areas entrusted to UNPROFOR. This clearly shows that the UNPROFOR mandate is lacking in almost every respect and that continued UNPROFOR presence in Croatia would thus be counterproductive to the overall peace process. "Croatia is already working on a substitute model," Granic said. The model, to be presented in due time, would consist of the following elements: a) the safe, orderly and dignified withdrawal of UNPROFOR personnel; b) and its substitution by special task forces mandated to monitor Croatian borders, as well as the cease-fire agreement and the existing economic agreements; these task forces would c) assist UNPROFOR during the withdrawal stage and, if necessary, in its operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia, for its part Croatia would, d) invite the United Nations to keep the UNPROFOR Headquarters in Zagreb, as well as some logistic centres in other parts of the country. However, Granic said, the termination of the UNPROFOR mandate did not mean that Croatia intended to abandon its readiness and commitment to proceed with the peaceful reintegration of its occupied territories. (Hina) jn sd 271432 MET feb 95