U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL DRAFT RESOLUTION ON CROATIA

WASHINGTON, March 25 (Hina) - The latest UN Security Council draft resolution on establishing a new peace force in Croatia proposes that its mandate last until March 31 next year. In a report to the Security Council on Friday, UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali proposed a mandate for Croatia to last until the end of this November under the name "UN Peace Force - One." Negotiations on the final mandate are continuing and this draft does not define the exact number of UN troops to be deployed in Croatia. The resolution is expected to be adopted next week. According to the draft resolution, UN personnel would monitor and report on military traffic across Croatia's international borders with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). The mandate should also include the implementation of the 29 March 1994 ceasefire agreement between the Croatian government and local Serb authorities, and facilitate the implementation of the the 2 December 1994 economic agreement and all relevant UN Security Council resolutions. The draft resolution envisages the use of close air support to protect UN personnel in Croatia. It emphasizes the importance of mutual recognition of states that emerged in the former Yugoslavia. The draft notes that the main provisions of the UN peacekeeping plan for Croatia and of the relevant Security Council resolutions, particularly 871 and 947, still remain to be implemented. (hina) vm 252156 MET mar 95