UN NEVER HEARD OF TANKS IN SARVAS, ASTONISHED AT THEFT REPORTS

OSIJEK, March 10 (Hina) - UNPROFOR's Civil Affairs Coordinator in Sector East, Philip Corwin, and Sector East spokesperson, Kirsten Haupt, today held a press conference for journalists from the free and occupied parts of Croatia, at a UN checkpoint near Sarvas. Also present were journalists from Serbia. Haupt expressed concern over the growing number of cease-fire violations of the Sector. She complained about UN officials' limited freedom of movement in the sector since the beginning of a Serb military training exercice three days ago. A serious incident occurred on Wednesday when Serb troops opened fire at a car driven by a Belgian officer who was travelling from Sarvas to Erdut. In Dalj, two Serbs kidnapped an UN military observer and took him to a lone farm. Then they robbed him and helped themselves to his car. On March 2, 45 armed Serb irregulars entered the disengagement zone. When Belgian battalion members warned them that such things were not done, the Serbs pointed their weapons at the peace- keepers. The same day, 20 Croatian army soldiers also entered the disengagement zone and behaved very unmannerly to UN members, Haupt complained. Asked what had happened to 13 (thirteen) tanks that the UN Zagreb headquarters said the Serbs had taken from a UN storage area in Sarvas, Corwin said he had never heard of any tanks being stored in Sarvas, let alone stolen from there. Tanks were being kept in Marinci, he said. (hina) jn as 101907 MET mar 95