HEAD OF OSCE MISSION TO CROATIA MEETS KNIN MAYOR

KNIN, Mar 3 (Hina) - The head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe Mission to Croatia (OSCE), Tim Guldimann, on Wednesday held a closed meeting with Knin Mayor Josip Odak. Odak said 650 Serbs had returned to Knin, formerly under Serbian occupation, in the past year, and added the town's housing commission had returned ten houses to pre-war Serb owners. Guldimann expressed satisfaction with OSCE's cooperation with Knin authorities and with the increased number of Serb returnees. He pointed out however the main obstacle to more returns was the return of property to pre-war owners. Authorities could do more towards finding alternate accommodation for Bosnian Croats who arrived to the Knin area in the wake of the former Bosnian conflict, Guldimann said. He emphasised the issue of mutual trust, pointing out it will be a very important part of pre-electoral campaigns. Guldimann said the OSCE had incited representatives of the Serb community to assume a constructive role as Croatian citizens, to the benefit of Croatia. Speaking about the rule of law, Guldimann said Croatia's biggest difficulty was the judiciary, which he said was a consequence of the socialist past and the post-war period. Knin Mayor Odak said the rule of law must function in Knin. He added the ownership right was inalienable, regardless of religious and national orientation. The Mayor believed tensions in town would decrease with new jobs. (hina) ha