AGREEMENT REACHED ON SURRENDER OF HEAVY ARMS BY SERB BRIGADE

PAKRAC, May 2 (Hina) - Following a several-hour-long negotiations conducted between Croatian Government representatives and Serb paramilitaries, it was agreed that a Serb brigade, now encircled by Croatian forces in the wider Pakrac area, would surrender all heavy arms to UNCRO by tomorrow, May 3, at 6 pm. The negotiations were attended by Croatian Interior Ministry, Croatian army and UNCRO representatives. It was agreed that the disarmament of the Serb brigade under control of UNCRO would be completed in the next five days, head of the Croatian delegation Ivica Kostovic said. Soldiers of the Serb brigade were given Croatian President's and Government's guarantees that, if they surrendered their arms and accepted the authority of the Croatian Government, they would be granted all rights they were entitled to, Kostovic said. Asked whether the disarmament of the brigade would be carried out simultaneously with the restoration of Croatian authorities in the part of Pakrac, which is under control of this brigade at present, Kostovic said it could not be done abruptly. Asked why Croatian police forces did not liberate this area in the way they already liberated the greatest part of western Slavonia, Kostovic answered that " everything that can be done by negotiations should be done so, if possible at all". Asked whether UNCRO could give guarantees that Serbs would surrender arms as agreed, UNCRO commander for the former sector West, Carlos Alberto Matalon, gave an affirmative answer. The arms had been surrendered to the Argentinean UNCRO battalion first and it was agreed that Serbs surrender explosive devices, ammunition and all arms, explained Matalon. (hina) jn rm mms (hina) jn rm mms 022217 MET may 95