ZONE OF SEPARATION TO BE CALLED ZONE OF CEASEFIRE, WILLIAMS SAYS

ZAGREB, April 11 (Hina) - Awaiting the UN Secretary General's report to the Security Council which is to give a precise definition of the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 981 and the UNCRO mandate in Croatia, Croatian daily 'VECERNJI LIST' delivered an interview with UN spokesman Michael Williams. Williams said Croatian government's irritation at the name 'separation zones' was understandable and proposed to call them 'ceasefire zones' since the name 'separation zone' signified division of both territory and people. He also said that the presence of UN forces would decrease in the former UN protected areas, since what used to be called UNPAs no longer existed. There were 90 per cent of 15.000 UN soldiers located in the former UNPAs but their number would decrease after April 21 and the forces would be deployed along Croatia's borders and in the ceasefire zone. UN forces would have to be present to some extent in the Serb- controlled territories as well, said Williams. The Croatian Government accepted this because of practical reasons, he said adding that UN soldiers stationed in these areas would also have some kind of relation office in Knin. This relation office would have the function of helping Croatian authorities and local Serbs to implement already signed agreements. There were a couple of thousands Croats in the former UNPAs, mainly elderly people, who badly needed help. In the last years UN forces played an important role in the protection of their rights, said Williams. (hina) rm mms 111936 MET apr 95