ECHO TERMINATES FOOD RELIEF PROGRAMME FOR CROATIA

ZAGREB, Oct 4 (Hina) - The European Union is terminating its food emergency relief programme to Croatia and the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) will mark the occasion by donating to the Croatian Red Cross on Tuesday fork-lift trucks, computers, stoves, and refrigerators, the Office of the European Commission special envoy to Croatia reported on Monday. The special envoy says in a statement the Tuesday ceremony will mark the completion of food relief distribution, and a wish to pursue with reconstruction and economic revival. The delivery of operative equipment to the Croatian Red Cross indicates that Croatia can stand on its feet, and that the time has come to work together towards long-term goals, the statement adds. ECHO began its food relief programme in 1992, and Croatia has since received 275,592 tonnes of food. Between January and October 1994, at the height of the refugee crisis in Croatia, 750,000 people were continuously supplied with food. The special envoy's statement said the number of people requiring food relief had been on the decrease since January 1998, which led to conditions in which the relief programme could be terminated. Today, the humanitarian crisis is behind us, and we must aim at different needs, the statement concluded. (hina) ha