PUPOVAC CALLS ON SERBS TO ACCEPT LETTER OF INTENT

ZAGREB, Jan 20 (Hina) - The leader of the association of Serb organizations (SSO), Milorad Pupovac, on Monday called on Serb political representatives in the Croatian Danubian area to accept a Letter of Intent by the Croatian Government on completion of the peaceful reintegration of the area in question. "We must not cause any destabilization of the Danubian area and incite local people to exodus, by our decisions. But we must help them to see that the Letter has taken account of a great number of demands from the Erdut agreement," Pupovac said at an SSO session attended also by some Serb representatives from eastern Slavonia, Baranja and western Sirmium, the Croatian area under the UN Transitional Administration. Serb representatives from the area in question on Monday voiced regret that the Letter of Intent did not anticipate a special county for Serbs in the area. They also asked who would guarantee the implementation of the Letter's provisions. "If one should choose between a region without people and people who live in different regions, I would favour the latter," Pupovac said. Present at the session was the Serb People's Party (SNS) leader Milan Djukic who reiterated his view that Serbs should accept the document and that some amendments should be also attached to it. Djukic said that the chief guarantee for the implementation of the Letter was the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia. A statement issued after the meeting said that it was necessary to ensure the stay and survival of Serbs in the Danubian area as well as prerequisites for the return of displaced persons, regardless of their nationality. The statement said Serb representatives in eastern Slavonia should be supported in accepting the Letter. The solutions, offered in the Letter, did not meet completely expectations of the Serb community, but they can serve as a frame for the completion of the peaceful reintegration. It said it was necessary to ensure the prerequisites for holding the elections. To ensure conditions for safe, fair and democratic elections should be more important than to stick to time limits of the elections . According to the statement, it is necessary to ensure guarantees by the UN, the EU and the Republic of Croatia that the proposed solutions would be part of inalienable human, civil and national rights in Croatia. (hina) jn mš 202055 MET jan 97