OSCE DISSATISFIED WITH PROCEDURE FOR RETURN OF SERBS

( Editorial: --> 3977 ) ZAGREB, April 1 (Hina) - The OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) mission to Croatia says it is not satisfied with the Croatian Government's document entitled "The Procedure of Return for Persons Who Left the Republic of Croatia" issued on Tuesday. "Return is an individual right and it cannot be made dependent on other conditions," mission head Tim Guldimann told a news conference in Zagreb on Wednesday. The Croatian Government on Tuesday presented a document regulating the legal procedure for individual return to Croatia of all refugees, including Serbs. "We see that there are positive elements in it, but there are elements in this approach which the Mission cannot approve," Guldimann said. The OSCE mission chief would not go into details, stating he would bring up any open issues in a direct dialogue with the Croatian Government. "We welcome the Government's assurance that this document is the first stage and we see that the Government is open to discussion in a dialogue with the international community on this," he said. Guldimann said his discussions with the international community would be based on two principles which are contained in the international agreements signed by Croatia. The mission will insist on the principle that "return is an individual right and as an individual right, it cannot be made dependent on other conditions", with respect to housing, the return of other individuals or international assistance. The OSCE will also insist on the principle that "citizenship, eo ipso, is the right to return to one's country". Under the Procedure for Return, a returnee wishing to return needs to apply for a travel document for which a Reconstruction Ministry certificate that housing is available is also required. The government document goes on to say that Croatia expects financial assistance from the international community in implementing the return project. It also says that the return issue will be dealt with through agreements with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) and the Bosnian Serb entity (Republika Srpska), which may have been interpreted as a condition. Presenting the document, Government Office for Refugees head Lovre Pejakovic said on Tuesday that the Croatian Government would advocate the principle of reciprocity. "No conditions will be set but we will insist with our partners that they enable Croat refugees to return to Republika Srpska and Yugoslavia," Pejakovic told reporters. Guldimann welcomed the negotiations between Croatia, Yugoslavia and Republika Srpska, but stressed that they should not affect the individual right to return. Recently the international community has stepped up pressure on Croatia to speed up the return of Croatian Serbs as a first step towards resolving the much tougher problem of return of refugees in Bosnia-Herzegovina. At a meeting with United States Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott in January, Croatian Defence Minister Gojko Susak said Croatia would issue a concrete plan for the return of refugees by the end of March. By presenting the document on Tuesday, Croatia has fulfilled this promise. However, a specific plan for the return of refugees will be presented only a month after the end of the donors' conference for the reconstruction of Croatia scheduled for May 20. (hina) jn as/mb 011917 MET apr 98