ZAGREB, Feb 24 (Hina) - The return of Croats to the areas of Bosnia-Herzegovina where they make minority groups still represents a major problem, while large numbers of refugees have returned to the Croat-dominated areas, said a
statement issued on Wednesday by the office of the Croat BH Presidency member, Ante Jelavic. The Croat side has demonstrated readiness for the return of displaced people and refugees as it believes that "the only solution is the creation of conditions for the return on the whole territory of Bosnia-Herzegovina, primarily in those areas which had been abandoned by the largest number of people". According to the statement, 31,550 people have returned to the Croat-dominated areas and the Croat side has fulfilled all obligations from cantonal and federal return plans, as well as its obligations from the Forum of the Federation regarding the town of Mostar. On the
ZAGREB, Feb 24 (Hina) - The return of Croats to the areas of Bosnia-
Herzegovina where they make minority groups still represents a
major problem, while large numbers of refugees have returned to the
Croat-dominated areas, said a statement issued on Wednesday by the
office of the Croat BH Presidency member, Ante Jelavic.
The Croat side has demonstrated readiness for the return of
displaced people and refugees as it believes that "the only
solution is the creation of conditions for the return on the whole
territory of Bosnia-Herzegovina, primarily in those areas which
had been abandoned by the largest number of people".
According to the statement, 31,550 people have returned to the
Croat-dominated areas and the Croat side has fulfilled all
obligations from cantonal and federal return plans, as well as its
obligations from the Forum of the Federation regarding the town of
Mostar.
On the other hand, the implementation of the Banja Luka
declaration, which was to facilitate the return of 70,000 non-
Serbs, has not even begun. Similarly, only 1,600 people have
returned to Sarajevo, in line with the Sarajevo declaration, which
envisaged the return of 20,000 people to the Bosnian capital.
"If we were to analyse the problems in specific areas, bearing in
mind the already mentioned figures, we would conclude that less
than 8 per cent of all problems refer to the Croat-dominated areas",
said the statement.
The three BH Presidency members - Ante Jelavic, Alija Izetbegovic
and Zivko Radisic - met recently with NATO Secretary General Javier
Solana, NATO commander for Europe Wesley Clark and SFOR commander
Montgomery Meigs, to discuss minority returns.
The return of minority groups is "what the authority of the
Presidency members and the international community is being tested
on", said the statement.
Jelavic, the statement further says, has endorsed consistent
implementation of Annex 7 of the Dayton agreement and promised that
the Croat side, along with all that it has already done, would make
additional efforts to confirm its consistency.
During the meeting with the international representatives, the
Croat Presidency member suggested personnel reduction in both the
Federation and Republika Srpska armies by 30 per cent, as well as
the reduction of military service to six months.
(hina) jn rml