OSCE MISSION HEAD HOLDS TALKS WITH VUKOVAR-SRIJEM COUNTY PREFECT

( Editorial: --> 9118 ) VUKOVAR, March 12 (Hina) - The head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission to Croatia, Tim Guldimann, had a closed-door meeting with Vukovar-Srijem County Prefect Rudolf Koenig on Thursday to discuss measures for a quicker resolution of economic and political problems in the Danube River region. Following the meeting in Vukovar, Guldimann said one of the problems which presently troubled political relations in the region, as well as Croatia's foreign relations, was the emigration of Serbs from the Danube region to other countries, especially to Norway. Guldimann said that according to the OSCE, there were about 12,000 displaced people currently in the Danube region. Half of the displaced Serbs who lived in the region during the past year or two, had left the area, Guldimann said. Koenig said the small number of returnees to the Danube region was also a very serious problem for the Croatian state. We expect from the international community to help the economic development of this region, as that would surely bring an end to Serb emigration and facilitate the return of displaced people to the Danube region, Koenig said. (Hina) mm mb /mr 121852 MET mar 98