(1 Aug 1995) English/Nat

The U-N special envoy to the former Yugoslavia Yasushi Akashi says the Croatian army is fully prepared for an offensive to take back territory occupied by rebel Serbs.

Akashi said the U-N had observed a massive military build up and he called upon Croatian President Franjo Tudjman to exercise caution at "this very dangerous time."

Yasushi Akashi issued his grim warning during a news briefing in Zagreb on Tuesday morning.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We observed a very massive movements and deployments of Croatian troops. In all direction surrounding sector north and south and some outside sector north. But that was in the last few days and as I said, yesterday was quite."

Q: But are they ready to attack immediately?

"The assessment of our military is yes, they seem to be fully prepared to attack."

SUPER CAPTION: Yasushi Akashi, U-N Special Envoy to former Yugoslavia

Croatia launched its offensive into western Bosnia last week ostensibly to aid Muslim-led Bosnian government forces surrounded by Serbs in the northwest Bosnian enclave of Bihac.

But the offensive's primary effect so far has been to undermine the Serbs' hold over territory on the Croatian side of the border.

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