UNHCR AND CROATIA TO COOPERATE IN RETURN OF ALL REFUGEES

ZAGREB, March 17 (Hina) - Croatia and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will closely cooperate in a project of the return of all those who wish to return to Croatia, as well as those who wish to return to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatian First Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic said after talks with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata in Zagreb Friday. We discussed the problems of the return of refugees, our plans, our problems and our expectations, and we will closely cooperate in the project of the return of all those who wish to come back to Croatia, and those who want to return to their homes in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Granic said. Also discussed at the meeting were some of the legal measures which prevented returns. "I would hope also to see that the various plans that the Government is now undertaking to realise returns, but also to realise very complicated burdens of rehabilitation of various regions, would also be accelerated as well", the High Commissioner stressed. She added that the problems were large, particularly in the implementation phase, but she expressed hope that the energy and determination of the people of Croatia, that were shown at the elections, would also be reflected in this transition phase. My office will to its very best to help this, Ogata concluded. (hina) it mm