UNHCR SAYS NUMBER OF SERBS LEAVING DANUBE REGION HAS DECREASED

( Editorial: --> 2332 ) ZAGREB, March 25 (Hina) - A United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesman in Zagreb told a press conference on Wednesday that the two-way return of refugees in Croatia was still unsatisfactory. Last week seven people returned to Knin Tuesday and on Thursday two returned to Daruvar and nine to the areas of Karlovac and Sisak, UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic said. According to UNHCR data there were 1,626 refugees from the Danube River region in Norway at the end of last week, Mahecic said and emphasised that last week recorded a fall in the number of new arrivals. Seventy-eight people arrived, which is a noticeable fall in comparison to previous weeks when the average in that country was up to 250 seeking asylum. From the total number of asylum requests made in Norway, 28 had been withdrawn. This was done by the asylum seekers themselves and their decision was motivated by their personal expectations in relation to the ease in finding employment and better living conditions. Up to now 20 requests had been processed and all were rejected except one, which was approved on the base of the status of that person in Norway (who had relatives there) and not their status in Croatia. The UNHCR also released facts on the situation in Kosovo, where the organisation has provided blankets and food. The UNHCR estimates that about 20,000 people from Kosovo are displaced, of which 15,000 are accommodated in the southern Yugoslav province and four to five thousands are refugees in Montenegro. (Hina) mm mb /ha 251925 MET mar 98