FARRAND ON SERB REFUGEES' RETURN FROM BRCKO TO TRAVNIK

TRAVNIK, Aug 12 (Hina) - The international supervisor for north- eastern Bosnian town Brcko on Thursday visited Travnik in central Bosnia where with local leaders he discussed the return of Serbs from Brcko to their pre-war homes in Travnik. It is estimated some 4,500 Serbs from Central Bosnia Canton, including 3,000 from Jajce and 1,500 from Travnik, escaped to Brcko during the Bosnian conflict earlier this decade. Travnik municipal head Besim Halilovic called on the Serb refugees to return to their homes, a process which he said would be open by their impending organised visit to the homes. "The return of all to their property, including Serbs from Brcko to our canton, is regulated with the Dayton (peace) agreement. There are no political obstacles to the return, but we must ensure funds with donors to repair the returnees' war-damaged houses," said canton prefect Branko Golub. Speaking about efforts to return a multiethnic, pre-war climate to Brcko, supervisor Farrand said 75 percent of the town's current, predominantly Serb population includes people who had been forced to leave their pre-war homes. When approached in group, they oppose returns, but on a personal level, there are many who want to go back, he said. Farrand appealed for help in changing the current situation in Brcko where, he said, undamaged Croat- and Muslim-owned houses can receive their owners once current tenants, Serb refugees, return to their pre-war homes. (hina) ha