UN SECTOR SOUTH COMMANDER ON BUDIM ATTACK

SPLIT, March 27 (Hina) - UN Protection Force Sector South Commander, Major General Rastislav Kotil, today issued a statement on the attack on "blue helmets" of March 19 in Sector South, carried out by the Croatian Army (HV) and the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) members. With the statement, Kotil wanted to respond to the interpretation of the incident made on March 22 by the Croatian Army Deputy Commander in the Split district, 1st Lieutenant Mario Tomasovic. Kotil said the UN patrol had not been surrounded by the Serb militia when the attack was launched, as 1st Lt. Tomasovic contended, when he reported that fire was opened on Serb militaries spotted accompanying the group Kotil was in. The UN patrol had been in the area of Sector South and not in the Separation Zone, Kotil said, adding that UN forces had free movement permission in the UNPA zone. Tomasovic, on the other hand, reported that UN patrols had to be announced to the side which controlled the area from where one would enter the separation zone, UN Commander's statement said. Kotil's third remark referred to the report saying that fire was opened by the Croatian Defence Council's troops located above Budim (southeastern part of Sector South), while the Croatian Army troops fired several warning shots. Kotil said this only proved that the Croatian Army and the Croatian Defence Council were cooperating in the Budim region. The shooting had continued for some 40 minutes and it was hard to believe, said Kotil, that the single shot had been only for warning. (hina) mar rm sd 272116 MET mar 95