UN ACCUSATIONS "GROUNDLESS" AND "RIDICULOUS", SARINIC SAYS

ZAGREB, May 5 (Hina) - President Tudjman's chief-of-staff, Hrvoje Sarinic, today met EU Monitor Mission Chief, Albert Turot. The pair discussed the situation in western Slavonia. "The EU Monitor mission kept abreast of the situation in western Slavonia all night and was fully informed," Turot told Croatian and foreign reporters. "Civilians will soon be able to return, the fighting stopped yesterday, and the prisoners-of-war have been taken care of," Turot said, adding that the Serb population had been decently treated by Croatian police. Asked whether the EU Monitor Mission had any reports on the alleged looting of Serb houses by Croatian troops, as the UN Security Council was told yesterday, Turot said "there was no report to that effect." "There is only a draft report that has not been completed and which was presented to Mr. Sarinic today," Turot said. "There were very few cases of looting and they were investigated by the police. It seems that the perpetrators were civilians and not Croatian army soldiers. During the clashes, Croatian army soldiers searched a number of houses and found weapons," Turot said. "Serb soldiers are now being identified and asked to choose to stay in Croatia or go somewhere else, and a war-crimes investigation is also underway," Turot said. Turot today requested a written permission for EUMM officials to visit the entire western Slavonia region. Hrvoje Sarinic said last night's UN Security Council Presidential Statement was based on erroneous information. "Accusations that 500 wire-bound prisoners, including women and children, were shoved into buses, are quite groundless," he said. "Anyone can talk to the Serbs that stayed in western Slavonia and visit the facilities in Pozega, Bjelovar and Varazdin where 1006 prisoners-of-war are held," he said. After identification, all those who have not broken the law will be released today and tomorrow, he said. "Those who don't want to stay can leave Croatia under the escort of UN forces and monitors. However, Croatia would prefer them to stay in their country," he said. "A six-year old girl from the Pakrac area, who has leukaemia, has already been transferred to a hospital in Zagreb," he said. "Last night, I talked to UNCRO officials by telephone and told them their accusations of human rights violations by Croatian forces were ridiculous," he said. "EU monitors can visit the facilities where the prisoners are held. SOme of them have already done so, these facilities are open," he concluded. (hina) jn as 052141 MET may 95