U.N. REPORTS SPORADIC CLASHES IN WESTERN SLAVONIA

ZAGREB, May 4 (Hina) - The situation in Croatia was relatively tense with a number of incidents in separation zones, the UN said today. Minor clashes were reported only southeast of the Western Slavonia town of Lipik, a UN spokesman told a press conference in Zagreb. UN spokesman Col. Walt Natynczyk quoted a Croatian army liaison officer as saying that there were pockets of Serb resistance with some 200 men, who were either rejecting demobilization or who got out of hand, opening fire along the road. UN spokesman Fred Eckhard described the situation as relatively tense, adding that UNCRO was in close contact with both sides. Eckhard said that UNCRO was deploying its observers in Western Slavonia to supervise the evacuation of Serbs who, in line with yesterday's cessation of hostilities agreement, wanted to leave the region. He noted that it would not be possible to carry out the operation for now for security reasons. Responding to a question whether Croatian forces would pull out of Western Slavonia, Eckhard said that both sides had agreed to the four-point cessation of hostilities agreement which did not foresee the withdrawal of Croatian forces. UN peacekeepers were concerned about incidents in former UN Sectors South and East after groups of soldiers of both sides had entered separation zones at several points. (hina) mm vm 041751 MET may 95