VINKOVCI, March 28 (Hina) - The head of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Mission to Croatia on Tuesday said Serb-Croat relations in the Danube River Region in eastern Croatia had improved considerably
over the past months. OSCE Mission head Bernard Poncet today visited the eastern town of Vinkovci where he held talks with Vukovar-Srijem County prefect Rudolf Koenig, Vukovar mayor Vladimir Stengl, and representatives of the Joint Council of the area's mostly Serb-populated municipalities. Poncet told reporters after the talks, he had got the impression there was more mutual understanding than a few months ago. Both sides are willing to overcome difficulties in a reasonable manner, he said. According to Poncet, Croatia's Danube River Region deserves priority attention, of which, he said, he would try to convince the international
VINKOVCI, March 28 (Hina) - The head of the Organisation for
Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Mission to Croatia on
Tuesday said Serb-Croat relations in the Danube River Region in
eastern Croatia had improved considerably over the past months.
OSCE Mission head Bernard Poncet today visited the eastern town of
Vinkovci where he held talks with Vukovar-Srijem County prefect
Rudolf Koenig, Vukovar mayor Vladimir Stengl, and representatives
of the Joint Council of the area's mostly Serb-populated
municipalities.
Poncet told reporters after the talks, he had got the impression
there was more mutual understanding than a few months ago. Both
sides are willing to overcome difficulties in a reasonable manner,
he said.
According to Poncet, Croatia's Danube River Region deserves
priority attention, of which, he said, he would try to convince the
international community.
The Serb side has changed its views considerably, Poncet said after
talking to Milos Vojnovic, the president of the Joint Council of
municipalities, and Vojislav Stanimirovic, the president of the
Independent Democratic Serb Party.
Poncet said his impression was that Serb officials believed co-
operation with Croatia authorities was going to be easier after
recent changes in the central authority structure.
Prefect Koenig said the difficulties in Vukovar-Srijem County "are
not of a political and nationality-related nature, but exclusively
the consequence of a difficult economic and social situation."
"I notified the OSCE delegation about this position of ours. I also
asked Ambassador Poncet to be our spokesman in Vienna to help us
find, through OSCE's assistance, strategic partners for
investments in our economy," Koenig said.
(hina) ha jn