CONFERENCE ON RETURN OF REFUGEES TO SARAJEVO BEGINS

( Editorial: --> 9050 ) SARAJEVO, Feb 3 (Hina) - The international conference on the return of refugees to Bosnia-Herzegovina's capital Sarajevo began in the city on Tuesday. The conference is being chaired by the international high representative for the implementation of the Dayton Agreement, Carlos Westendorp, and US peace mediator Robert Gelbard. Westendorp called the conference on the basis of conclusions of an agreement of the Council for the Implementation of the Peace Agreement held in Bonn last December when this body expressed disappointment with the lack of preparedness of the Sarajevo Canton to ensure the undisturbed return of earlier residents. The conference in Sarajevo gathered representatives of two Bosnian entities, as well as city and canton authorities, as well as the British government Secretary for International Development, Clare Short, USAID director Brian Atwood and representatives of the German government. Spokesman for Westendorp's Office, Duncan Bullivant, said the main task of the conference was to establish Sarajevo as a model of multi-ethnicity, tolerance and coexistence. (hina) lm mm 031056 MET feb 98