UNCIVPOL PATROLS VELIKA KLADUSA AREA

ZAGREB, Sep 1 (Hina) - UN Civil Police started patrolling the Velika Kladusa area, in conformity with an agreement reached on Sunday between UNPROFOR Civil Affairs Chief Sergio de Mello, US Ambassador to Croatia Peter Galbraith and the local authorities, said UNPROFOR headquarters in Zagreb on Thursday. Nine members of UNCIVPOL take care about safety of the population and their property. The UNCIVPOL permanent office will be opened as soon as negotiations on the accommodation are concluded. First reports by UNCIVPOL say that there are no damaged houses in the town and that the Bosnian authorities are expecting the return of refugees. De Mello and UNPROFOR Deputy Commander General Ray Crabbe met with one of Serb leaders from UNPA Borislav Mikelic in Belgrade on Tuesday. Mikelic promised that Serb authorities in UNPA would co- operate with UNPROFOR and UNHCR. De Mello met for talks yesterday with Fikret Abdic in the UNPROFOR headquarters in Zagreb. Abdic agreed on a visit of UNHCR representatives to refugees. Afterwards, de Mello met with Vice- Chairman of the Croat-Bosniac Federation Ejup Ganic, UN spokesman Williams said at today's press conference. Ganic confirmed the Bosnian Government's guarantees on a safe return of refugees, said Williams. He added that de Mello and Ganic had also discussed the resumption of ethnic cleansing in the areas controlled by Serbs (Banja Luka and Bijeljina) and consequences of Bosnian Serbs' referendum on the Contact Group's peace plan. The UN spokesman said that a refugee in UNPA North had stepped on the mine yesterday and lost his leg. About 25,000 people who fled Velika Kladusa after Abdic's defeat are presently stranded in Croatia, in the occupied area. Despite the Bosnian Government's guarantees and a plan proposed by Galbraith and de Mello, refugees do not want to return home and they request the Croatian Government to allow them a transit to Austria. (hina) jas ks 011449 MET sep 94