MAJOR GEN. BARIC WRITES TO UNTAES MILITARY COMMANDER SCHOUPS

OSIJEK, 18 Oct (Hina) - President Tudjman's representative in the Government Office of the temporary administration for the establishment of Croatian authority in the Croatian Danubian area, Major General Slavko Baric, on Friday sent a letter to the military commander of the UN Transitional Administration in Eastern Slavonia (UNTAES), Major General Joseph Schoups. In his letter, Baric warned of problems which were occurring during the mine clearing process in the villages in eastern Slavonia, which are included in a UNHCR pilot-project on the return of displaced persons. In some parts of the village of Antunovac, which had already been cleared of mines, new mines were, Baric said. The latest incident happened on 16 October when an antipersonnel mine was found in a cleared section of the local cemetery. The Transitional Police Force, which was controlling the former separation zone, should be mixed, Baric said, warning of unnecessary control of people which was being carried out by the Transitional Police Force. The Russian UNTAES solders were performing regular control of anti-mine personnel and the Croatian side was satisfied with their work, Baric said. 'Doctors and medical personnel accompanying anti-mine teams cannot understand why they were forbidden to provide medical aid to the local population if they ask for it, which has already happened several times', Baric said, adding he hoped that adequate solutions to the problems he mentioned would be found. (hina) rm 182134 MET oct 96