MINOR COMPLICATIONS IN PAKRAC AREA, PREMIER SAYS IN PARLIAMENT

ZAGREB, May 4 (Hina) - Both houses of the Croatian Parliament were addressed this morning by Prime Minister Nikica Valentic and Ministers Jarnjak (home office), Susak (defence) and Granic (foreign affairs). The Prime Minister recalled that a Serb terrorist attack on the Zagreb-Lipovac highway was first followed by a police action on the highway and then by a joint police and military action which had now reached the final stage. "What's most important at the moment is that the action is over in the entire Western Slavonia region, except for some minor complications in the Pakrac area. First a verbal and then a written agreement was reached yesterday that civilians and soldiers who wished it could leave the area under specified conditions and using certain roads. However, there have been rather blatant attempts to evade the agreement. Armed groups are trying to break through and to provoke further armed actions, which could have a very serious impact on the completion of the action and, what's even more important, on the overall strategic level," Valentic said. Describing the missile attacks on Zagreb as a brutal, barbarous act, the Prime Minister said it could have been expected. "We will be prepared for any eventuality in the future," he said. Civilian authorities were being established in western Slavonia. The Government would today appoint commissioners for newly-liberated municipalities. "Nothwistanding any provocations, the Croatian Government once again assures all civilians who stayed in western Slavonia that their safety is guaranteed by the Croatian Government. Similarly, the Croatian Government is ready to allow all Croatian citizens who fled their villages to return to their homes and properties, on the condition that they accept the Croatian state and its constitutional and legal system," the Prime Minister said. Valentic also called on the Serbs in the Pakrac area to abide by the agreement they had signed yesterday. If they did not abide by the agreement, the provocations in the Pakrac area might have wider implications, he warned. "I assure you we are ready for any eventuality," Valentic said. "We want peace, we don't want war, but this action has shown that Croatia is strong enough to achieve reintegration by peaceful means, but also that it has sufficient potentials to liberate its territory by military means," the Prime Minister concluded. (hina) mm as 041232 MET may 95