REBEL CROATIAN SERBS TAKE 192 U.N. PEACEKEEPERS PRISONER

ZAGREB, May 2 (Hina) - Rebel Croatian Serbs have taken 192 UN peacekeepers prisoner during fighting in the former UN sector West, UN spokesman Christopher Gunness told a press conference in Zagreb today. Among them are 36 UN Civilian Police members, and Serbs prevented two UN Nepalese units of about 70 men from leaving their base near a Sava River bridge at Stara Gradiska, Gunness said. Three UN Jordanian soldiers have been seriously wounded since the start of the conflict on Monday. They have been admitted to a military hospital at Zagreb's Pleso Airport and their condition is stable, Gunnes said. Gunness said that the UN and special envoy Yasushi Akashi would continue pressure to bring about an unconditional release of all UN personnel. The UNHCR said about 5,000 Croatian Serbs had fled to Bosnia- Herzegovina while some 500 Bosnian refugees remained in the former UN Sector West. (hina) mm vm 021605 MET may 95