ZAGREB, June 20 (Hina) - The third meeting of the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe's refugee returns steering committee, which Zagreb hosted on Tuesday, brought promises of financial assistance from the international community, but
was primarily an opportunity to urge donors not to forget the region whose economic and political stability is important for the entire Europe.
ZAGREB, June 20 (Hina) - The third meeting of the Stability Pact for
Southeast Europe's refugee returns steering committee, which
Zagreb hosted on Tuesday, brought promises of financial assistance
from the international community, but was primarily an opportunity
to urge donors not to forget the region whose economic and political
stability is important for the entire Europe.#L#
In brief, these are the messages steering committee chairman Hans
Koschnik conveyed to reporters at the end of the meeting.
He said this region's peaceful development and stability created
stability in the rest of Europe.
The means at disposal are insufficient for refugee returns,
Koschnik asserted, adding meetings like today's were necessary to
motivate donors, acquaint them with the importance of projects and
urge them to present them to their governments and parliaments.
Koschnik commended the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees, saying he had made a great promotion in Zagreb today.
Koschnik asserted collecting financial assistance for 2001 was an
especially painful issue.
Asked for concrete figures, he said all countries had promised a
joint EUR80 million. International institutions and the European
Union together want to donate EUR237 million.
Specific figures will be put forward once the money is deposited on
the account, said Koschnik, adding a substantial part of the entire
sum was intended for Croatia. He asserted the international
community was less wary and hesitant to assist Croatia in the wake
of this year's political changes.
Koschnik criticised the dose of red tape encumbering Europe's
international organisations, the European Commission for
instance. Croatia is currently implementing EC's funds intended
for 1999. We told them we want money for this year, he said, and was
told this year's money would start coming in this summer.
We agreed to hold meetings on a regular basis to see how we stand
with the projects and if international cooperation has changed,
where it has improved and where deteriorated, said Koschnik. Future
meetings are planned for September in Brussels and December in
Sarajevo.
In his introductory address, Koschnik applauded the laws Croatia's
government and parliament adopted in connection with refugee
returns and minority rights. He reminded of the importance of
principles on a multi-way return including all countries in the
region, and of resolving problems in the whole. He added the
international community and UNHCR were helping find a solution to
implement the return of refugees from Yugoslavia.
Donald Kursch, Stability Pact chief deputy coordinator, said
encouraging returns was the Pact's most important issue.
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