AKASHI SAYS NO HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN WESTERN SLAVONIA

BELGRADE, May 9 (Hina) - UN special envoy Yasushi Akashi said today that UN peacekeepers in the western Slavonia region of Croatia had almost full freedom of movement. Akashi was speaking to reporters in Belgrade following his talks with Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, which he described as encouraging. Akashi said that the registration of Serbs wishing to leave western Slavonia began this morning and that they would be able to do so as of today. Asked to comment on reports of alleged violence against Serbs in the Okucani area, Akashi said that the UN did not have accurate information and that the matter was being investigated. Akashi said that representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the European Union as well as numerous journalists were currently in western Slavonia where they could see for themselves that no human rights violations were committed there. Akashi said it was important that military representatives of the Croatian and Serb sides meet to agree on a withdrawal from separation zones. (hina) mm vm 092131 MET may 95