NOBILO: IT IS IMPORTANT TO REINTEGRATE EASTERN CROATIA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

POSSIBLE ZAGREB, Nov 15 (Hina) - Croatia's ambassador to the United Nations, Mario Nobilo, said on Thursday that it was important to reintegrate the eastern Serb-held Danube river region into Croatia as soon as possible to prevent "a radicalization of the political scene" before elections next year. A UN draft resolution on the UNTAES mandate, whose adoption was expected on Friday, in no way called into question the peaceful reintegration process, Nobilo said in a Croatian television public affairs programme late Thursday night. He said that the draft contained more positive than negative elements. Speaking of the negative elements, Nobilo said that the UN presence would continue in various forms for another year and that the Security Council saw the region as a threat to international security and regarded itself responsible for the development of the situation. The third negative aspect of the draft resolution, according to Nobilo, was that the UN linked the return of Croatian displaced people to the region with the return of Serb refugees to other parts of Croatia. As positive elements, Nobilo stressed that the draft resolution fully supported Croatia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and that it confirmed that the final goal of the UN Transitional Administration was the full reintegration of the region into Croatia. Nobilo said that the draft did not envisage a special status for the Serbs in the region but that it urged respect for the rights of all ethnic groups. (hina) vm jn 151140 MET nov 96