SITUATION IN SECTOR NORTH MORE STABLE

KARLOVAC, Mar 16 (Hina) - UNPROFOR Commander for Sector North General Jarne Hesselberg and coordinator for UNPROFOR civil affairs Charles Kirudja were at the Karlovac-based Croatian Army HQ for a farewell visit. General Hesselberg, after a one-year mandate, will be replaced by Jozef Chmiel from the Polish Battalion. After the talk with the Commander of the Karlovac CA, Pavle Miljavac, a press conference was held at which Hesselberg said that the situation in UNPA sector north was much better than a year ago, and that the moment had come for Croats and Serbs from UNPAs to sign a global cease-fire and start political negotiations. Kirudja said that the population in the UNPAs was living harshly and that an ever increasing willingness existed for substantial talks which would lead to a final settlement. Asked whether UNPROFOR would be deployed on the internationally recognized borders of Croatia, General Hesselberg answered that UN troops were already present in sector north on the internationally recognized border between Croatia and Bosnia, and that he saw no reason why that could not be done in other sectors. He said clashes between members of the Muslim-led Bosnian army, supporters of Fikret Abdic and local Serbs were frequent in the area between Velika Kladusa (west Bosnia) and Vojnic (Croatia). 161917 MET mar 94