UN SPOKESMAN ON CEASE-FIRE BREACHES IN SECTOR SOUTH

ZADAR, March 23 (Hina) - UN Protection Force Sector South spokesman Alun Roberts said today at a Zadar press conference that politicians from both sides were speculating much about the future organization and mission of UN forces in Croatia. Statements by the politicians on UN Protected Areas (UNPAs) and the Zone of Separation were not grounded on statements from UN circles, Roberts said. He listed all spots in the Zone of Separation or in its surroundings, in the UNPA South, where cease-fire was violated. In the Zone of Separation 11 Serb soldiers were in the reinforced dugouts in the surroundings of Otocac; 10 Serb soldiers had been for months near the village of Canak; Serb soldiers were very close to the Zone of Separation in the area of Medak, Lika, entering the Zone very often, Roberts said adding that high tension could be felt there. He said Serb soldiers had adopted several positions on Mount Velebit, and cited places where they were digging trenches and building up reinforced posts very quickly (Zemunik Gornji, Skabrnja, Miranje and Provici near Benkovac, Kakma near Biograd). Serbs did not allow UNPROFOR officials to access the Kakma water pump in the Biograd hinterland, Roberts added. There were 15 Croatian soldiers in trenches in the Otocac area, and another 15 in the Zone of Separation, while seven Croatian soldiers were at Stimici, he said. He told the conference that the "gravest situation" was in the Budim area, in the southeastern part of Sector South, where either Croatian Army (HV) or Bosnian Croats (Croatian Defence Council, HVO) attacked UNPROFOR on March 19, firing 150 bullets. An UNPROFOR officer was injured in the firing. He said that in the surrounding of Sinj and the Drnis area two vehicles were stolen from UNPROFOR recently, which was the first such incident in areas under Croatian Army control. (hina) jn mms sd 232026 MET mar 95