U.S. DAILY SAYS YUGOSLAVIA SENDS TROOPS, WEAPONS TO EAST CROATIA

NEW YORK, March 30 (Hina) - The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) has sent at least 900 troops and more than ten tanks, missiles and other weapons into a Serb-occupied area of Croatia, the Washington-based daily "New York Newsday" said in today's issue. The crossing was conducted with the knowledge of the Russian Battalion serving with the UN peacekeeping force in eastern Croatia. The paper quoted Croatian, US and Belgian official sources as saying that Belgian UN troops attempted to block the crossing of Yugoslav soldiers across the Batina bridge but were ordered by Russian UN commander Alexander Perelyakin to withdraw. A Belgian Foreign Ministry spokesman said that the Belgians peacekeepers had obeyed the order and had withdrawn. State Department officials said the US admministration was aware what had happended but declined to comment, according to New York Newsday. (hina) mm vm 302151 MET mar 95