STATEMENT BY DEFENCE AND NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

ZAGREB, May 3 (Hina) - Croatia's Defence and National Security Council convened late last night under the chairmanship of President Franjo Tudjman, a presidential office statement said. Following is the full text of the statement: "President Tudjman confirmed that the police and military operation for reopening the highway had been completed and that the whole of western Slavonia was now free. Occupied territory was considerably reduced after the action - so that now a little over 17 percent of land, or 11 percent of Croatia's overall territory (land and sea) remained occupied. The action was carried out according to schedule, with relatively small losses. President Tudjman particularly commended Defence and Interior Ministry officials and forces. Defence Minister Susak and Interior Minister Jarnjak stressed the exceptionally good coordination between the two ministries, at command, operational and logistic levels. Minister Jarnjak announced that Croatian police stations would be established in Pakrac and Okucani on Wednesday. A police station had already been established in Jasenovac on Tuesday. Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Kostovic informed the meeting of negotiations he had held with leaders of armed Serbs in the Pakrac area which resulted in an agreement on the surrender of their arms. The Council heard a report on a Tuesday morning terrorist attack, when six cluster bombs fell on Zagreb. Four cluster bombs struck the heart of the city, killing five people and wounding 121, and destroying 150 cars and one tram. The city centre and Pleso village near the airport bore the brunt of the attack. The damage was estimated at about 20 million kunas. Medical crews, firefighters and police were swiftly at the scene, acting efficiently. The Council condemns terrorist attacks by Serb extremists on Zagreb, Sisak and Karlovac, the target of which were unprotected civilians, and calls on the Croatian Government to demand that proceedings be instituted against those who ordered such terrorist attacks. In this case, there is evidence against Milan Martic and Gen. Milan Celeketic, who will be brought before a Croatian war tribunal and the International War Crimes Tribunal to answer for their war crimes. However, the Council stresses that responsibility for their actions also lays with their superiors - the political and military leaders in Belgrade. Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Communications, Ivica Mudrinic, informed the Council that the Zagreb airport was reopened to traffic Tuesday at noon, and that the Zagreb-Lipovac highway would be opened on Wednesday. The Zagreb-Vinkovci railway would be opened in the next two or three days. The Council stresses the need for the speedy restoration of Croatian authority in the whole of western Slavonia, and for the full functioning of the constitutional and legal system. In view of internal circumstances, the Council stresses the need for the efficient functioning of the Croatian Parliament and Government in resloving all open issues," the statement concluded. (hina) mm as vm 031115 MET may 95