U.S. GOVT TO FINANCE THROUGH IRC SERB RETURNS TO JASENOVAC

JASENOVAC, May 10 (Hina) - The United States government will invest US$212,000 in the reconstruction of Croatian Serb returnees' houses and the municipal infrastructure in Jasenovac, and the creation of conditions for joint living. A cooperation agreement to that effect was signed on Wednesday in the town some 100km south-east of Zagreb by Gregory Beck, the International Refugee Committee's (IRC) director for Croatia through which the investment will be effected, Jasenovac municipal head Marija Mackovic, and Obrad Ivanovic, the president of the Serb Democratic Forum branch for western Slavonia. Jasenovac municipal representatives by signing today's agreement committed to assist the return of Serbs who lived in the area prior to last decade's Homeland War. The IRC will also invest US$60,000 in the construction of a municipal waterworks. All future projects which the IRC will finance are to be agreed on by a local council comprising representatives of the IRC, Serb returnees, and the Jasenovac municipality. IRC director Beck said the U.S. government would invest through the IRC two million dollars in war-affected areas. (hina) ha