[3] The representatives of Vukovar Serbs told the ambassador of the European Union that it was impossible for them to accept the Croatian government, and that they will persist in even at the cost of a new conflict.

At the same time, as an option in case the negotiations fail, the Croatian state and army leadership began preparations for a new major military operation to re-capture the remaining occupied part of Eastern Slavonia.

Even after the adoption of the Erdut Agreement, Yugoslavia and the Serbs believed that there was a real, although relatively small, possibility that Croatia would launch a military operation.

[1] The international community was worried knowing that the Croats intended to launch a military liberation operation, which would result in a new refugee crisis and shake the regime of Slobodan Milošević.

In that case, it was feared that the Yugoslav Army would be directly involved in the conflict, which would inflame the war even more, and there would be a frontal collision between Croatia and Serbia in the area.

Since a large part of the terrain and the bridges towards Baranja were mined, it was estimated that the Croatian army would not be able to advance quickly and could not put their tactics in place.

[4] When President Tuđman heard that the number of potential victims was estimated at 1,500, he decided to avoid military action at all costs and stop the offensive.