FURTHER EVIDENCE OF YUGOSLAV INVOLVEMENT IN OCCUPATION OF CROATIA

WASHINGTON, May 19 (Hina) - Croatia's ambassador to the UN, Mario Nobilo, sent a letter to UN secretary general Boutros Boutros-Ghali on Thursday, providing further evidence of direct involvement of the Belgrade government in the military occupation of Croatia. "Following the restoration of Croatian authority in the Western Slavonia region, I should like to inform you that the law- enforcement authorities of the Republic of Croatia have discovered payroll lists of officers commissioned in the "Army of Yugoslavia", that have been detached on active duty to the occupied territories of Croatia," Nobilo wrote. He said that the 18th Corps of the so-called "Army of the Republic of Serbian Krajina" in Okucani had consistently forwarded its payroll lists to the General Staff of the Yugoslav army in Belgrade. The lists included names of six colonels, seven lieutenant colonels, eight majors, 13 captains, nine lieutenants and more than 30 petty officers commissioned in the Yugoslav army and paid by the Belgrade government. Among them were Col. Lazo Babic, Col. Slobodan Peric, Col. Milan Jerkic, Col. Milan Romic, Lt. Col. Borislav Stijak, Lt. Col. Milanko Babic, Lt. Col. Stevo Harambasic, Lt. Col. Ostoja Dzambas, Lt. Col. Veroljub Smiljanic, Lt. Col. Milan Popovic, Lt. Col. Ilija Vuckovic. Nobilo said that Croatia "considers this yet another confirmation of direct involvement of the Belgrade regime in the military occupation of the Republic of Croatia, as has already been established by the General Assembly in its resolution 49/43. "This fact provides further evidence that the "Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro)" did not fulfil its obligation to fully withdraw the "JNA" from the Republic of Croatia." Nobilo stressed the importance of UN Security Council resolution 871 of 1993 which "establishes a connection between the involvement of the 'Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro)' in the occupied territories of Croatia and the sanctions regime imposed on the 'Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro)' in resolutions 757 (1992), 787 (1992) and 820 (1993)." He also reiterated the importance of "resolution 981 (1995) that provides for control of international borders of Croatia not under control of Croatian authorities by United Nations Confidence Restoration Operation in Croatia, which is known as UNCRO." (hina) mm vm 191059 MET may 95