MOSTAR, Apr 7 (Hina) - The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is very concerned with the possible effect of the Kosovo refugee crisis on Bosnia-Herzegovina (BH). The head of UNHCR's Office for south BH, Tony Garcia,
on Wednesday told reporters in Mostar the UNHCR was very concerned about the effect the Kosovo crisis might have in BH. Garcia said the returns of ethnic Croats and Muslims to the Serb entity in BH had been stopped due to military operations in Kosovo. Since the beginning of the conflict, 7,900 ethnic Kosovo Albanians have registered with UNHCR shelter centres in BH, while unofficial sources mention an additional 10,000 in Bosnia's other entity, the Croat-Muslim federation. Garcia said if more Kosovo Albanians kept on coming, it would negatively affect the return process in BH. He added the UNHCR expects the West will receive the largest number of
MOSTAR, Apr 7 (Hina) - The United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) is very concerned with the possible effect of the
Kosovo refugee crisis on Bosnia-Herzegovina (BH).
The head of UNHCR's Office for south BH, Tony Garcia, on Wednesday
told reporters in Mostar the UNHCR was very concerned about the
effect the Kosovo crisis might have in BH.
Garcia said the returns of ethnic Croats and Muslims to the Serb
entity in BH had been stopped due to military operations in Kosovo.
Since the beginning of the conflict, 7,900 ethnic Kosovo Albanians
have registered with UNHCR shelter centres in BH, while unofficial
sources mention an additional 10,000 in Bosnia's other entity, the
Croat-Muslim federation.
Garcia said if more Kosovo Albanians kept on coming, it would
negatively affect the return process in BH. He added the UNHCR
expects the West will receive the largest number of Kosovo Albanian
refugees which, Garcia believes, would alleviate the pressure on
countries neighbouring Kosovo.
According to the UNHCR, 300,000 Kosovo Albanians have fled the
south Yugoslav province since NATO began its air strikes against
Yugoslavia.
(hina) ha