OGATA: PROPERTY PROBLEMS GREATEST BARRIER FOR REFUGEE RETURN

( Editorial: --> 7273 ) SARAJEVO, April 16 (Hina) - Wednesday night's killing of two Bosnian Serbs in Drvar (western Bosnia) clearly shows how complex the issue of return of refugees is and how important it is to give those people full security, The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata said on Thursday. This security can only be guaranteed by a multi-ethnic police force. There is no doubt that the Stabilisation Force (SFOR) should remain in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ogata told a press conference in Sarajevo, at the end of her visit to the area of former Yugoslavia. Property problems are the biggest barrier for the return of a large number of refugees, she said, advocating a faster solution of those problems. The existing administrative procedure had been set earlier with the aim of rather hampering than facilitating the return of refugees to their homes, Ogata said mentioning the problem of return of Serbs to Croatia. The UNHCR is considering establishing a separate mechanism which would unite the work of numerous property commissions which are now working in the countries on the territory of the former Yugoslavia. Our first objective is the full repatriation of all refugees, but we are also ready to support their integration into new surroundings in case they do not wish to return to their pre-war places of residence, Ogata said. However, we will support their departure to third countries only in cases where justified reasons exist, she added. (hina) mrb/rm 161848 MET apr 98