ZAGREB-LIPOVAC HIGHWAY TO BE OPENED IN UNPA WEST NEXT WEEK, UN SAYS

SAYS PAKRAC, Dec 8 (Hina) - "The Zagreb-Lipovac (ex Zagreb-Belgrade) highway section through UNPA Sector West is to be opened next week," a UN Protection Force spokeswoman in Pakrac, UNPA Sector West, Susan Manuel today told journalists. "The most important fact now is that both Croatian and Serbian side have agreed to opening the highway," Manuel said. She added that local Serb authorities in Okucani have given permission for it, but the Serb authorities in Knin have not yet confirmed the decision. She said the highway had not been opened today as it had been announced previously, because of technical difficulty in a new organization of UNPROFOR's mission, which required more preparations. The traffic along the highway section through Sector West is to be controlled by Jordanian UN troops, deployed now around Lipik. They should replace the Nepalese UN peacekeepers because of Jordanian soldiers' better knowledge of English language, Manuel said. Around one hundred and fifty UN Civil Police members, together with the Jordanians, should control the highway. They would be replaced from northern parts of UNPA Sector West, she said. (hina) mar mms 081819 MET dec 94