CROATIA TAKES OVER TRANSITIONAL POLICE FORCE IN DANUBE REGION

( Editorial: --> 8546 ) VUKOVAR, Dec 15 (Hina) - The UN Transitional Administrator of the Croatian Danube river region, William Walker, on Monday handed over command of the Transitional Police Force (TPF) to Croatian Interior Minister Ivan Penic, whereby the TPF was integrated into the Croatian police system. Until the end of its mandate on January 15, the UN Transitional Administration (UNTAES) will have the right to nullify decisions by the Croatian Interior Ministry if they are not in conformity with the Erdut agreement, UN Security Council resolutions and the Croatian government's letter of intent. Taking over the command of the TPF, Penic guaranteed the just and equal treatment by Croatian police of all citizens in the Danube region. Assistant Interior Minister Josko Moric will manage the operation of the TPF directly from Vukovar. Penic thanked UNTAES and particularly the former and present transitional administrators, Jacques Klein and William Walker, for everything they had done in the region. In a message to the local population, Penic said there was no reason for them to leave because the region was becoming safer by the day. Walker expressed satisfaction that with today's handover the Croatian government had assumed responsibility for all public services and institutions in the region. I am confident that Minister Penic would continue to treat all citizens equally, he added. The TPF, established in July 1996, employs 1,715 police officers, including 834 Serbs, 829 Croats and 52 members of other ethnic groups. Four hundred members of the UN civilian police will remain in the region until the end of the UNTAES mandate, after which their number will be reduced to 180 and their task will be to oversee the work of the police. (hina) vm mm 151858 MET dec 97