KINKEL AND VEDRINE ASK CROATIA TO RESPECT ITS COMMITMENTS

( Editorial: --> 0699 ) ZAGREB, March 18 (Hina) - The German and French Foreign Ministers Klaus Kinkel and Hubert Vedrine on Wednesday requested Croatia to respect its commitments from the Dayton agreement and announce, as soon as possible, a concrete plan of return of Serb refugees, as a precondition for its getting closer to the European Union. "We are ready to follow Croatia step by step in its getting closer to Europe which it wants," said Vedrine at a press conference. A precondition for that is Croatia's cooperativeness in meeting the expectations of the international community, Vedrine stressed. The international community expects Croatia to fully implement the Dayton agreement, to positively influence Croats from the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, respect the sovereignty of Bosnia-Herzegovina, make moves which would calm Serbs in the Danube region and present a concrete plan of return of Croatian Serb refugees. Kinkel stressed the importance of the return of Croatian Serb refugees currently living in Republika Srpska, which would open up the possibility for the return of Bosnian refugees from Germany. According to Kinkel, 60 per cent of 250,000 Bosnian refugees in Germany come from Republika Srpska. "They will be able to go back if Croatian Serb refugees return to Croatia," said Kinkel. There are administrative obstacles to the return of Croatian Serb refugees as well as cases of intimidation, aimed at preventing them to return, said Kinkel. "We expect from Croatia a clear plan of return of refugees," Kinkel said. The Croatian government is to announce next week clear procedures which would enable all Croatian Serbs who want so, to return to Croatia. "The sooner and better Croatia meets our expectations, the greater its European prospects are," said Kinkel. He said he supported the strengthening of relations between Croatia and the EU, adding the process could develop in line with EU's regional approach. Kinkel and Vedrine could not say when the relations between the EU and Croatia could start improving or when the process of their getting closer - such as allowing access to the PHARE programme and signing trade and cooperation agreements - could start. Members of the German and French delegations accompanying the two ministers held separate meetings with members of the Parliament Committee for Foreign Policy in Zagreb on Wednesday. (hina) jn rm 182333 MET mar 98