U.N. envoy Cyrus Vance left Yugoslavia Monday with what he called a "substantial agreement" on how peacekeeping forces could be deployed in war-torn Croatia.
But no such troops would be deployed unless a United Nations-brokered cease-fire is adhered to, Vance said Sunday in a meeting with Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, who is adamantly opposed to Croatia's independence drive.Thousands of people have been killed in the 51/2 months of fighting since Croatia declared independence.
Most of Croatia was reported quiet Monday, and European Community monitors said preparations were under way for the federal army to leave barracks near Zagreb, the capital of Croatia.
Croatia agreed to halt a blockade of the barracks if the troops would leave.
U.N. sources in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia and of Yugoslavia, quoted Vance as saying a concept had been worked out for deployment of peacekeepers that has the "substantial agreement of all parties."
The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, quoted Vance as explaining that under an "ink blot" strategy, the troops would be deployed at trouble spots and not along demarcation lines or bor-ders.
Croatia had wanted peacekeepers along the border with Serbia because it says Milosevic is seeking to expand Serbia's territory. The army and Serbian irregulars now occupy about a third of Croatia.
However, the Yugoslav news agency Tanjug quoted Vance as telling Milosevic that the terms of the Nov. 26 cease-fire have not been met, so no peacekeeping deployment can be envisioned.
Osijek, the major city of eastern Croatia and the target of repeated heavy shelling, was reported by defense officials to be quiet Monday.
On Sunday, federal army and Croatian officials reached agreement on the completion of the army's withdrawal from non-combat bases in Croatia.
Ed Koestal, a spokesman for the European Community, which has been trying to mediate the conflict, said a convoy of 115 military and 85 civilian vehicles was preparing to leave the Pleso army facility at the Zagreb airport.