CROATIA HAS PULLED 76 PERCENT TROOPS OUT, SERBS CLOSED PIPELINE

WASHINGTON, May 18 (Hina) - Following is a part of a letter Croatian ambassador to the UN, Mario Nobilo, forwarded to the chairman of UN Security Council, Jean-Bertrand Merimee yesterday: "I have the honor to inform you that as of 05:30 hours today, the Croatian army (HV) has withdrawn 650 of its 800 personnel from the Zone of Separation (ZOS) in sector Eastern Slavonia (formerly Sector East); 870 out of 1,470 personnel from sector Glina (formerly Sector North); and 970 out of 1,000 personnel from sector Knin (formerly South). The HV withdrawal is therefore 76 percent complete," Nobilo said in his letter, adding that the withdrawal would resume until the full completion. "The Croatian Serb paramilitary units have meanwhile taken 207 positions in ZOS; 23 in sector Eastern Slavonia; 133 in sector Glina; and 51 in sector Knin. About 2,000 Croatian Serb paramilitary troops remained in ZOS; none have withdrawn. The Croatian Serb authorities in Knin have also on May 15 closed the Adriatic Pipeline in violation of the Economic Agreement of December 2, 1994," the letter said. "Additionally, the Croatian Serb paramilitary units in sector Eastern Slavonia, strengthened by personnel from the Yugoslav Army (JA), are carrying out maneuvers and taking offensive positions that threaten a part of the territory of the Republic of Croatia, adjacent to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) and the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina," Nobilo said. "The military value of this territory, if occupied, is to connect the Serb-occupied sector Eastern Slavonia in Croatia to the Serb-occupied parts of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and secure a supply corridor from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), through Croatia, to the Bosnian Serb- controlled territories." The Croatian Government has demonstrated its full commitment to the continuation of the peace process in Croatia and to the implementation of the UNCRO mandate on its territory, Nobilo stressed. (Hina) mm b 181141 MET may 95