THREE PERSONS KILLED IN U.N.-ADMINISTERED AREA

OSIJEK, 11 Feb (Hina) - Three persons were killed around 10 p.m. last night in Adam Dugacki street in Beli Manastir, deputy head of the Transitional Police Force in the U.N.-administered area, Ivan Babic, told Hina on Tuesday. Three members of one family - Josip Polz (born 1942), Irena Polz (1947) and Roza Jelic (1920) - were killed with fire arms, according to Babic. An investigation into the murders is being conducted by the UNTAES civil police and representatives of the local Serb judiciary. According to Babic, it is suspected that the murders were committed by an unidentified person who was wearing a mask. The president of the Association of Germans and Austrians living in Osijek, Vesna Pichler, said that the victims were members of the German national minority. She strongly condemned the act, adding that she would ask the U.N. Transitional Administrator Jacques Klein and Croatian authorities to protect the remaining members of the German national minority in Baranja. The deputy head of the Government office for the U.N.- administered area, Mirko Tankosic, also confirmed the murder of the three Beli Manastir residents. (hina) rm jn 111605 MET feb 97