TWO MINISTERS URGE SPEEDIER RETURN OF REFUGEES TO CROATIA, BOSNIA

ZAGREB, July 23 (Hina) - Croatia's Reconstruction and Public Works Minister Radimir Cacic and Bosnia's Minister Human Rights and Refugees' Affairs Mirsad Kebo advocated accelerating the refugee return process, and announced the establishment of a joint task force that would step up the process. #L# After talks in Zagreb, the two ministers told a news conference the joint commission would be set up with the aim of working on the return of Croatia's citizens who are now in Bosnia but wish to come back to Croatia and the return of Bosnian citizens who are now in Croatia but wish to come back to Bosnia. The joint commission will exchange relevant data on the matter given that Bosnia says 24,000 Croatian nationals would like to return to Croatia, while Zagreb has data that only 2,600 wish to do so, according to Cacic. "The exchange of data is very important as figures differ significantly," the Croatian minister explained. "The aim is to get a realistic picture and set up a financial construction accordingly," he added. Minister Kebo called on Bosnian Croats to come back to their homeland. "The return is no longer a security or a political issue but rather an economic one," Kebo added. Cacic said that Croats who would like to come back to Bosnia were being treated in the same manner as refugees and displaced persons from Croatia. "The Croatian budget has no limit in relation to those people. All of them who are returning to Bosnia have the right to count on the Croatian government's support," Cacic added. In this context he promised financial assistance and construction material to those who would like to exercise their right to the return. Kebo, who will meet Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic later in the day, said his talks with Cacic also revolved about the encouragement of refugees to return to pre-war homes, without negating their right to opt for living where they are currently staying. (hina) ms