Topic: voa Subject: BALKANS VOTE (L) [3] By ELAINE JOHANSON/UNITED NATIONS From: "Demetrios E. Paneras" DATE=3/31/95 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-176420 TITLE=BALKANS VOTE (L) BYLINE=ELAINE JOHANSON DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL FRIDAY UNANIMOUSLY AGREED TO BREAK UP THE U-N FORCE IN THE BALKANS INTO THREE SEPARATE OPERATIONS. THE MOVE CAME IN RESPONSE TO A THREAT BY CROATIA TO EXPEL THE PEACEKEEPERS ON ITS TERRITORY UNLESS THE COUNCIL RESTRUCTURED THE FORCE AND BROADENED ITS MANDATE. V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT ELAINE JOHANSON REPORTS: TEXT: UNPROFOR (U-N PROTECTION FORCE) -- AS IT HAS EXISTED SINCE 1992 -- IS NO MORE. THE SECURITY COUNCIL CREATED A SEPARATE FORCE EACH FOR CROATIA, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA AND MACEDONIA -- EACH WITH ITS OWN COMMANDER. A U-N CIVILIAN WILL RETAIN OVERALL COMMAND. ALL THREE WERE GIVEN A MANDATE UNTIL NOVEMBER 30TH. THE BOSNIAN AND MACEDONIAN OPERATIONS REMAIN UNCHANGED. BUT THE SECURITY COUNCIL APPROVED A REDUCTION IN THE 12-THOUSAND STRONG FORCE IN CROATIA AND SET THE STAGE FOR PUTTING U-N TROOPS ON CROATIA'S INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES. CROATIA MADE THE BORDER PATROLS TO KEEP SUPPLIES AWAY FROM ITS REBEL SERBS A KEY CONDITION FOR ALLOWING THE U-N TO STAY. THE COUNCIL -- FEARING A RENEWAL OF THE CROATIAN WAR AND A WORSENING IN BOSNIA -- AGREED TO ACCOMMODATE ZAGREB. CROATIA EVEN WON A DIPLOMATIC BATTLE OVER THE NAME OF ITS NEW FORCE. IT INSISTED THAT THE WORD "CROATIA" BE INCLUDED AS A WAY OF ASSERTING ITS TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY AGAINST THE SEPARATIST AIMS OF THE KRAJINA SERBS. THE NEW FORCE WILL BE KNOWN AS THE U-N CONFIDENCE RESTORATION OPERATION IN CROATIA OR UNCRO. THE UNITED STATES -- TOGETHER WITH GERMANY -- WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN PERSUADING THE CROATIAN GOVERNMENT TO KEEP A U-N FORCE. U-S REPRESENTATIVE KARL INDERFURTH SAID THE COMPROMISE THE COUNCIL WORKED OUT IS NOT IDEAL BUT AT LEAST IT OFFERS SOME ROOM -- HE SAID -- FOR THE PARTIES TO NEGOTIATE A SETTLEMENT. HE URGED THEM NOT TO SQUANDER THIS NEW OPPORTUNITY: ///INDERFURTH ACT/// THE RESOLUTION APPROVED TODAY CAN BE CONSIDERED A CONSTRUCTIVE RESPONSE TO A COMPLEX, DANGEROUS AND TANGLED SITUATION. IT IS BETTER THAN RENEWED WAR, BUT IT DOES NOT, IN ITSELF, RESOLVE THE FUNDAMENTAL SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND SECURITY-RELATED ISSUES THAT NOW DIVIDE CROATIA. THE CONTINUED INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE WILL KEEP OPEN A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY WITHIN WHICH THE PARTIES MAY NEGOTIATE TO SETTLE THEIR DIFFERENCES. ///END ACT/// THE DETAILS OF HOW THE NEW CROATIAN FORCE WILL OPERATE STILL HAVE TO BE WORKED OUT. U-N OFFICIALS WILL BE CONSULTING WITH THE CROATIAN GOVERNMENT OVER THE NEXT THREE WEEKS. WESTERN DIPLOMATS SAY THEY WOULD LIKE A MINIMUM OF EIGHT THOUSAND TROOPS IN CROATIA, WITH ABOUT ONE THOUSAND OF THEM ON THE BORDERS. ///REST OPT/// THE 22-THOUSAND PEACEKEEPERS IN BOSNIA WILL CONTINUE TO USE THE ACRONYM UNPROFOR FOR THEIR OPERATION. BUT OVER 11-HUNDRED U-N TROOPS IN MACEDONIA WERE RE-NAMED THE U-N PREVENTIVE DEPLOYMENT FORCE OR UNPREDEP. (SIGNED) NEB/PT 31-Mar-95 6:10 PM EST (2310 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America ------------------------------------------------------------------------------