SARAJEVO, March 21 (Hina) - UN High Commissioner for refugees Sadako Ogata on Tuesday called on authorities in Bosnia-Herzegovina to seriously tackle the problem of the return of refugees and displaced persons if they wish to ensure
continued international financial assistance. At a news conference in Sarajevo at the end of her three-day visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ogata stressed it was understandable that the world's attention had been redirected to other areas of crisis after five years subsequent to the signing of the Dayton peace accords. For this reason it is necessary for authorities in Bosnia-Herzegovina to show more responsibility and readiness to support return if they wish the world to continue financially assisting the reconstruction of the country, Ogata said. She asserted that in the past several months progress had been achieved in the return of refugees, especially on the territory of the
SARAJEVO, March 21 (Hina) - UN High Commissioner for refugees
Sadako Ogata on Tuesday called on authorities in Bosnia-
Herzegovina to seriously tackle the problem of the return of
refugees and displaced persons if they wish to ensure continued
international financial assistance.
At a news conference in Sarajevo at the end of her three-day visit to
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ogata stressed it was understandable that the
world's attention had been redirected to other areas of crisis
after five years subsequent to the signing of the Dayton peace
accords.
For this reason it is necessary for authorities in Bosnia-
Herzegovina to show more responsibility and readiness to support
return if they wish the world to continue financially assisting the
reconstruction of the country, Ogata said.
She asserted that in the past several months progress had been
achieved in the return of refugees, especially on the territory of
the Bosnian Serb entity of Republika Srpska.
Thirteen thousand people returned there last year, which is
significant progress, but the total number of returns to Republika
Srpska has not exceeded 25,000, which is still to little, Ogata
said.
She stressed it would be very important for laws regulating the
property rights of refugees be harmonised in Bosnia-Herzegovina
and Croatia so the issue could be discussed at a special regional
conference.
Ogata again applauded the readiness of the new Croatian authorities
to undertake concrete measures in ensuring the return of refugees.
Ogata left Sarajevo for Belgrade after which she is planning to
visit Kosovo and Montenegro.
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