CROATIA AND YUGOSLAVIA RESUME RAILWAY SERVICE AFTER SIX YEARS ( Editorial: --> 9858 )

( Editorial: --> 9858 ) VINKOVCI, Nov 11 (Hina) - A train left the eastern Croatian town of Vinkovci for Sid in neighbouring Serbia at 10.00 hours on Tuesday, marking the resumption of railway service between Croatia and Yugoslavia after a six-year break caused by the war. Among several dozen guests aboard the train were Croatian ambassador to Belgrade Zvonimir Markovic, Croatian assistant transport minister Dragutin Subat, Croatian Railways director Marijan Klaric, Yugoslav Railways assistant director Slobodan Stamenkovic, Vukovar County prefect Rudolf Koenig, members of the Croatian parliament, mayors of towns in Vukovar County, and representatives of the UN Transitional Administration in the Croatian Danube region. The train was scheduled to arrive in Sid at 11.20 hours, after which Croatian and Yugoslav railway officials were expected to hold a press conference. The first regular passenger train leaves for Sid at 15.00 hours today and will start its journey back at 17.42, officials at the Vinkovci railway station said. The Vinkovci-Tovarnik-Sid railway line was closed in September 1991. Traffic between Vinkovci and Tovarnik resumed in January this year. (hina) vm 111115 MET nov 97