AKASHI EXPECTS CROATIA PARTIES TO RESUME TALKS THIS AFTERNOON

ZAGREB, May 2 (Hina) - Following is a full statement released today by Fred Eckhard, spokesman for the UN Secretary General's special representative, Yasushi Akashi. "This morning's resumed air attacks in Sector West in the vicinity of the Sava River Bridge, artillery attacks within the Sector including approximately 95 impacts in and around Okucani, continued shelling near the Nepalese Battalion base at Postara, and new explosions in the heart of Zagreb and the Pleso Airport area, illustrate the failure of both parties to keep faith with their pledge to Mr Akashi last night to exercise maximum restraint while considering his proposal for a formal ceasefire agreement. These actions also fly in the face of last night's Security Council demand that '... the Government of the Republic of Croatia put an end immediately to the military offensive launched by its forces in the area of Western Slavonia known as Sector West which started the morning of 1 May 1995 in violation of the ceasefire agreement of 29 March 1994' and the urgent call on the parties to '... cease the hostilities and comply with the existing ceasefire agreement.' The situation is grave. Mr Akashi expects the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Serb authorities in Knin to resume discussions with him this afternoon with a view to putting a stop to the escalating violece while there is still time to replace war with dialogue." (hina) vm 021457 MET may 95