SADAKO OGATA: UNHCR TO WITHDRAW FROM KNIN SOON

( Editorial: --> 5068 ) DRNIS/KORENICA, April 6 (Hina) - The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata on Monday visited Drnis and Knin, towns in Sibenik County. Local representatives informed Ogata about conditions for the two- way return. Ogata expressed satisfaction with the activities and help which is being given to the returnees, announcing that the UNHCR and international humanitarian organisations would soon withdraw from the area, and that their role would be taken over by the local authorities. Later during the day, Ogata also visited Lika-Senj County. In Korenica, some 130km south of Zagreb, she met county leaders, representatives of the Office for Displaced People and Refugees and representatives of the Plitvice Lakes, Udbina and Donji Lapac municipalities, who informed her that the county was an example of successful two-way return. According to the Office for Displaced People and Refugees, 856 citizens of Serb nationality from the Croatian Danube River region have returned to Lika-Senj County. Although a large number of returnees came without certificates, they too were guaranteed all returnee rights. Considering the fact that 730 Bosnian Croat families live in Lika- Senj County, the question of three-way return is currently the most important issue for the region, especially because of the fact that no international organisation has shown interest in the return of Bosnian Croats, representatives of the local authorities said. Plitvice Lakes municipal head Mile Cancar said the security situation in the area was favourable, which was best proven with the fact that there were no incidents in the process of return. Ogata thanked the Croatian Government for all it had been doing in the process of return. Speaking about the return of Serbs who are currently in Yugoslavia, Ogata said the UNHCR office was conducting a poll which should show their intentions concerning return to Croatia. The office would inform local authorities about results of the poll, Ogata said. (hina) mm rm /mb 061934 MET apr 98