REBEL SERBS DEMAND SPECIAL STATUS, EXTENSION OF U.N. MANDATE

BELGRADE, June 21 (Hina) - Serbs in the remaining occupied areas of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Srijem are demanding from the international community a special status within Croatia. Their self-styled assembly held a session in the Danuber river town of Vukovar on Thursday and adopted a declaration saying that a special status for the area should be modelled on the status of areas within the European association of regions. The rebel Serb authorities claimed that such a status would include citizenship, a flag, a national anthem, a coat of arms, a parliament, a government, a budget, a tax system, education and a police force. The declaration called for the complete demilitarization of the areas of eastern Croatia and the right of the local population not to do a military service. The "assembly" demanded that the UN Security Council extend the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force deployed in the areas for another year. (hina) vm jn 211628 MET jun 96