ZAGREB, Apr 7 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Minister Pavao Miljavac on Wednesday said Croatia can receive between 3,000 and 5,000 Kosovo Albanian refugees, for whom the Interior Ministry would set up a camp in Konavle, an area near
Dubrovnik in southern-most Croatia. A higher number of refugees would be a considerable economic burden on Croatia, a country which was itself hit by a high number of displaced persons and is still providing care for some 90,000, Miljavac told reporters in Zagreb. Croatia will assist Croats from Kosovo, as well as Croat citizens of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia who desert the Yugoslav army, he said. "We have estimated that the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia need not increase their military preparedness, we have only undertaken certain security measures alongside border areas. We have intensified intelligence work to be able to detec
ZAGREB, Apr 7 (Hina) - Croatian Defence Minister Pavao Miljavac on
Wednesday said Croatia can receive between 3,000 and 5,000 Kosovo
Albanian refugees, for whom the Interior Ministry would set up a
camp in Konavle, an area near Dubrovnik in southern-most Croatia.
A higher number of refugees would be a considerable economic burden
on Croatia, a country which was itself hit by a high number of
displaced persons and is still providing care for some 90,000,
Miljavac told reporters in Zagreb.
Croatia will assist Croats from Kosovo, as well as Croat citizens of
the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia who desert the Yugoslav army, he
said.
"We have estimated that the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia
need not increase their military preparedness, we have only
undertaken certain security measures alongside border areas. We
have intensified intelligence work to be able to detect any danger
in time," Miljavac said, adding other measures had not been taken.
No large-scale amassing of Yugoslav troops or weaponry has been
noticed at the borders, he said, and added Croatia's security
systems were sufficient for the full control over the land and sea
border with Yugoslavia.
The defence minister also reminded of NATO's security guarantees in
case the Yugoslav conflict spilled over to Croatia.
Miljavac said that NATO's bombing of bridges between Croatia and
Yugoslavia across the Danube was a message to Yugoslav President
Slobodan Milosevic saying he would become completely isolated were
he to continue with his current policy.
Three bridges between Croatia and Yugoslavia have been hit but not
destroyed, Miljavac explained.
He denied the presence of active Croatian Army officers of Albanian
nationality among Kosovo Liberation Army ranks in the south
Yugoslav province, and stressed he could not be responsible for
instances of retired or demobilised officers' presence in Kosovo.
(hina) ha jn