UNCRO ALLOWED ACCESS TO W. SLAVONIA

ZAGREB, May 8 (Hina) - The UNCRO peacekeepers have been allowed to the western Slavonia area since Saturday, which they had been previously denied by Croatian armed forces, UN-spokesman in Zagreb Chris Gunnes said Monday afternoon. "UN military observers and UN Civilian Police troops are touring the area, mostly under Croatian army escort. Three villages however were still unaccessible to UNCIVPOL, namely Donja Varos, Gornja Varos and Vokovici," Gunnes said. Another UN spokesman, Fred Eckhard, added that the access denial was excused with the reasons of the UN personnel's security. Eckhard also conveyed UN special envoy Yasushi Akashi's concern over reports saying that some sacred objects had suffered damage in Okucani during recent operation, including the local Orthodox church. This was uselless and could only flare passions, Eckhard said. Asked to specify whether the sacred objects were damaged during or after the fighting, Eckhard said that UN had not been present in Okucani during the fighting and was not able to draw conclusions of when the things had happened. (Hina) mm bk 081835 MET may 95