CROATIAN ARMY COMPLETES WITHDRAWAL FROM EASTERN BUFFER ZONE

OSIJEK, May 19 (Hina) - The Croatian army yesterday completed the withdrawal of its troops from the separation zone of the former UN Sector East, UN spokeswoman Kirsten Haupt told reporters in Osijek today. She added that the pullout had started on May 16. Haupt said that the number of ceasefire violations was reduced in the area - 127 ceasefire breaches were registered yesterday, of which 30 were caused by the Croatian army and 97 by rebel Serbs. She said that the situation in the former Sector East became tense following a limited action by Croatian police and military forces in the Western Slavonia region. As an illustration, Haupt said that on May 15 the ceasefire agreement had been violated 186 times - 107 by Serbs and 79 by Croatian forces. She said that the UN Sector commander and civil affairs coordinator were in close contact with the military and civilian authorities of both sides in an effort to set up a joint commission for the former Sector East. Speaking of incidents in the Serb-occupied area, Haupt said that 11 UN vehicles had been stolen, including a water tanker. She said that Serbs had laid mines around several UN observation posts to prevent a possible UN withdrawal, but added that the mines had been removed in the meantime. UNCRO strongly protested against a recent Serb attack on a UN civilian police station in Ilok, Haupt said. She confirmed that Serb paramilitary forces had opened fire on a UN helicopter near Osijek on May 17. (hina) vm 191348 MET may 95