SAFETY AND SECURITY RESTORED AT THE HIGHWAY

WASHINGTON, May 2 (Hina) - Croatian Ambassador to the United Nations in New York, Mario Nobilo, sent a letter to the chairman of the UN Security Council, French Ambassador Jean-Bertrand Merimee, on Tuesday. The Croatian representative informed Ambassador Merimee that "in conformity with the request of the Security Council of 1 May 1995 (S/PRST/1995/23), the limited police and territorial defence action aimed at ensuring the safety and security of the Zagreb- Belgrade Highway and adjoining railway was terminated today, 2 May 1995, at 14:00 hrs. local time. The objectives of the action have been completed and safety and security is being restored to the area." "I should also like to inform you that today, at 10:25 hrs. local time, the Serbian paramilitary forces launched a terrorist attack at the very centre of Zagreb. Several rockets landed on crowded city streets, one in the immediate vicinity of Zagreb's Catholic Cathedral. Two rockets hit a junior high school. Preliminary information shows at least five persons killed and 115 wounded. This follows several attacks on Karlovac and Sisak by Croatian Serbs, and renewed attacks on the Dubrovnik area by Bosnian Serb paramilitary forces, acting in coordination with Croatian Serbs," Ambassador Nobilo wrote in the letter. "In the course of the operation to reopen and secure the Highway and the railway, every precaution has been taken to ensure the safety and security of civilian population in the area of operations. The Government has issued clear statements that relevant authorities have no intention of continuing with its police action once the limited action aimed at restoring the security of the Highway and the railway has been completed. Presently, the relevant Government authorities are negotiating a safe disbanding of some 600 Serbian paramilitary troops in a Western Slavonia enclave," according to the letter. "To the contrary, the Serbian paramilitary units have deliberately targeted the civilian population of Croatia's capital city, and other population centres," the letter read. "My Government can interpret this action as a sign that the Serbs in the occupied territories want to continue their terrorist actions. The Croatian Government shall not respond to this terrorist attacks, notwithstanding the fact that they caused a total of twelve fatalities," Nobilo said. "Should, however, those attack continue, Croatia shall be compelled to respond and disengage the positions of the Serbian paramilitary forces, taking into consideration the continuing safety of Serbian civilian population in the areas of the attack. Croatia remains committed to its long-standing policy of negotiation and peaceful reintegration of its occupied territories, and will act consistent with the letter and the spirit of the Presidential Statement of the Security Council," Nobilo concluded in the letter. (hina) jn mms 021958 MET may 95