VJESNIK ARTICLE ON 'GREATER SERBIA MYTH FALLING APART'

ZAGREB, April 5 (Hina) - The Zagreb-based daily, Vjesnik, today carried an article by Economics Institute director Zvonimir Baletic on UN resolution 981. Baletic said that the latest UN resolution would change the situation substantially because, unlike the Vance plan and the Z-4 mini contact group plan, it took as its starting point the "sovereign and internationally recognized Republic of Croatia, recognizing its right to control and define relations on its entire territory." "There will certainly be more problems but the most important one is whether the Serb side will really agree to cooperate and accept, under new conditions, the deployment of a new UN force (UNCRO) in the territory it controls," Baletic said. He drew attention to the fact that the resolution only mentioned local authorities and not "some 'central' authority in those areas." "Stripping 'Krajina' of its monopoly to represent the population in all occupied areas is a political priority which results from the Resolution and which can lead most quickly and safely to the restoration of confidence and peace, and to the reintegration," Balentic says. "The control of Croatia's international borders with Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, free movement of people and commodities across ceasefire lines and demilitarization, which is UNCRO's fundamental mission, can only assist Croatia in restoring confidence and fully reintegrating occupied areas. Simultaneously, political negotiations on the status of the Serb minority in Croatia could be held and preparations made for the return of displaced persons and refugees. Of course, everything will not run smoothly. There will be a lot of resistance and the resumption of war in Bosnia increases uncertainty and risks. However, we can state with pleasure: the ice has started to move, the myth of a 'Greater Serbia' is falling apart." (hina) mm vm 051258 MET apr 95